Rays’ Franco breaks up no-hit bid bid by Cubs’ Stroman with single in 7th

CHICAGO (AP) — Wander Franco of the Tampa Bay Rays broke up Marcus Stroman’s no-hit bid for the Chicago Cubs with a single leading off the seventh inning on Monday.

Franco ended the bid with a clean single to left to start the seventh. The only runner to reach base prior to that was when Luke Raley was hit by a pitch leading off the third.

Stroman, coming off wins over the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets, had six strikeouts through six innings.

There have been no no-hitters in the majors this season, the first since Major League Baseball introduced a pitch clock. There were a record nine in 2021 and four last year.

Stroman was trying to throw Chicago’s first no-hitter since Zach Davies and three relievers combined for one against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on June 24, 2021. The most recent solo no-hitter by a Cubs pitcher was Alec Mills’ gem at Milwaukee on Sept. 13, 2020.

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