Ben Brown threw a no-hitter in his own respect on Tuesday, pitching seven no-hit innings before Craig Counsell and the Cubs yanked him.
Brown, who's pitched a career-high 89 pitches once, topped out at 93 pitches on Tuesday before the Cubs pulled him, despite pitching an active no-hitter. Being a significant part of the North Side's future, the club would rather not risk injury to the 24-year-old.
Instead, the Cubs opted for an attempt at a combined no-hitter. They brought in Hayden Wesneski, who allowed the first hit of the game to the Brewers in his 12-pitch appearance. Mark Leiter Jr. cleaned up the rest of the eighth inning on five pitches.
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But Brown was the highlight of the game. He pitched seven innings without giving up a single hit or run. Brown walked two batters while striking out 10 --- a new career-high in single-game strikeouts.
He had Cubs fans on the edge of their seats, too. Cody Bellinger robbed a near-home run from the Brewers to keep Brown's no-hitter intact in the seventh inning.
It would've been vindictive for the Cubs to earn a no-hitter in Milwaukee against the Brewers. That certainly would've added some spice to Counsell's return to his former stomping grounds as a manager.
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The Brewers were unwelcoming to the former Brewers skipper on Monday. Fans at American Family Field showered him with boos. And the cherry on top, they spoiled his return by defeating the Cubs, 5-1, too.
As for Brown, the Cubs have used him as both a starter and reliever this season. He's started five games for the Cubs this season while appearing in 12 total.
Brown similarly had a strong outing in his last start, which was his last appearance, too, against the Braves. He pitched four innings, allowing just one hit while walking two batters and striking out six batters as a starter.
This season, Brown is holding a strong 3.20 ERA. In 39.1 innings, he's struck out 45 batters while walking 15. His 1.195 WHIP is an impressive mark for the youngster, too.
A no-hitter from Brown or the collective would've marked the Cubs' 18th in franchise history. The last no-hitter the franchise has seen was a combined effort from Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel against the Dodgers in 2021. For a singular pitcher, the Cubs haven't seen one since Alec Mills' in 2020.