Maeda takes no-hitter into 9th inning for Twins vs. Brewers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda has a no-hitter through eight innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night, setting the club record with eight consecutive strikeouts in the process.

Maeda has thrown 113 pitches with two walks and 12 strikeouts. His previous high for pitches this season was 84. Minnesota led 2-0 after 7 1/2 innings.

Maeda fanned Ben Gamel to finish the fifth for his eighth straight punchout, passing Jim Merritt (1966) and Francisco Liriano (2010), who both fanned seven batters in a row for the Twins. The major league record is 10 consecutive strikeouts, set by Tom Seaver for the New York Mets in 1970.

Maeda's streak ended when Luis Urías grounded out to start the sixth. The 32-year-old got two more groundouts by the Brewers to cruise through the inning and retired his 20th straight batter, Justin Smoak, with a strikeout to finish the seventh.

Maeda is in his first season with Minnesota, which acquired him this winter from the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol.

The Twins franchise has seven previous no-hitters, including five since moving to Minnesota. The last was by Liriano on May 3, 2011 against the White Sox.

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