Dylan Cease completed a no-hitter in the San Diego Padres' 3–0 win over the Washington Nationals on Thursday, throwing 114 pitches (71 strikes) while striking out nine and allowing three walks.
After the seventh inning, manager Mike Shildt had a brief conversation with Cease that looked like he may take him out, only for Cease to come back in for the eighth inning just minutes later. After the game, Cease detailed to the Padres broadcast team what occured in that dugout conversation.
"[Shildt] said 'Nice job', and I looked up and it was like 94 pitches," Cease said. "And I just said I feel great, and if we get through the next one at like 105, then, you know, I've thrown 113 this year, so, thankfully they let me talk him into it and here we are."
A nine-pitch eighth inning gave Cease the space he needed to stay under that mark of 105. He went into the ninth with 103 pitches on the afternoon.
Cease became the second Padres pitcher to throw a no-hitter, joining Joe Musgrove, who threw the first no-no in franchise history on April 9, 2021.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dylan Cease Reveals What He Said to Manager to Stay in Game in Midst of No-Hitter.