Blake Snell throws MLB’s third no-hitter of 2024, first of his career

San Francisco Giants left-hander Blake Snell threw the third no-hitter of the major league season, blanking the Reds 3-0 in the first complete game of his career Friday night.

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner struck out 11 Reds and walked three as the Giants built a 3-0 lead through eight innings at Great American Ball Park. The 31-year-old Snell threw 114 total pitches, 78 for strikes.

“Seventh inning I felt a little tired, and then I kind of looked at the scoreboard and that’s when I noticed (the no-hitter), and I said, ‘You better wake up,’ ” Snell told NBC Sports Bay Area on the telecast.

“What a feeling,” a jubilant Snell added.

The 31-year-old Snell recorded the 18th no-hitter in Giants’ franchise history.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Snell had never completed even eight innings before throwing his no-hitter, giving him his first complete game in his 202nd career start. Only two pitchers have made more starts before their first nine-inning complete game and no pitcher had made more starts at the time of their first complete game, which was a no-hitter.

Snell’s combined 26 strikeouts from Friday’s 11 strikeouts and the 15 he recorded in his previous start are tied for the second most in a two-game span by a Giants pitcher since 1900.

Casey Schmitt and Tyler Fitzgerald homered for the Giants.

Snell threw six perfect innings on July 14 before the Twins’ Manuel Margot singled leading off seventh inning. He struck out 15 in his last outing on July 27, yielding two hits through six innings.

Houston’s Ronal Blanco no-hit Toronto on April 1, and San Diego’s Dylan Cease pitched a no-hitter against Washington on July 25.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.