Cubs news: Alec Mills throws no-hitter against Brewers

Chicago Cubs right-hander Alec Mills threw the second no-hitter of the 2020 MLB season on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 28-year-old walked three and struck out five, needing 114 pitches to complete the job. He is not only the second pitcher to throw a no-hitter this season, but the second Chicago pitcher to do so after White Sox ace Lucas Giolito no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates nearly three weeks ago.

The final out can be seen below:

.@ATMills37 throws the 16th no-hitter in #Cubs franchise history! #WhereStoriesPlay @NationalPro pic.twitter.com/fVdGrrjB7x

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 13, 2020

Alec Mills, No Hitter 🍾 pic.twitter.com/G19j7FFgvx

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 13, 2020

Mills has never been much of a strikeout pitcher, but more of a control and change-of-pace guy reliant on inducing soft contact.

The former collegiate walk-on needed all of that soft contact on Sunday, as he had just five swings-and-misses for the entire game. In fact, as Jesse Rogers of ESPN noted, this is the lowest amount of swings-and-misses in a solo no-hitter since former Oakland Athletics left-hander Dallas Braden threw a perfect game on Mother's Day in 2010.

Mills became the second Cubs pitcher to throw a shutout this year, following Kyle Hendricks' gem against the Brewers on Opening Day, and also the second Cub to throw a no-hitter at Miller Park:

How cool is this: Alec Mills’ no-hitter is not only the second no-no ever recorded at Miller Park, but also the second by a Cub. Almost eight years to the day, Carlos Zambrano tossed the the first no-hitter in the park’s history on Sept. 14, 2008 against the Houston Astros.

— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) September 13, 2020

Mills has had quite the ride to this point in his big-league career.

The Tennessee native broke into the bigs with the Kansas City Royals in 2016, but has found more continuity in Chicago.

Mills had primarily been a member of the Cubs' bullpen in 2018 and 2019, though he was forced into spot starter duty late last summer. He earned a spot in the rotation to start the 2020 campaign, and he has now made history on this Sunday in Milwaukee.