Estrada Becomes 1st Hurler Since '98 to Toss 7 No-Hit Innings in Straight Starts

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marco Estrada turned in another dominant outing during Wednesday's 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, becoming the first hurler since Dave Stieb in 1988 to take a no-hitter into the eighth inning in consecutive starts, per Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN.com).

Estrada's first no-hit bid, which came Friday against the Baltimore Orioles, ended on outfielder Steve Pearce's single to lead off the eighth inning.

The 31-year-old right-hander took his bid a bit deeper Wednesday night, making it through the first out of the eighth inning without allowing a single baserunner before second baseman Logan Forsythe broke things up with an infield single.

Estrada ultimately allowed just two hits and no walks over 8.2 shutout innings, striking out a season-high 10 batters on a season-high 129 pitches.

It still wasn't enough for him to earn the win in a fifth consecutive outing, as the Blue Jays didn't score the game's first and only run until outfielder Chris Colabello hit a solo homer in the top of the 12th inning.

Estrada did improve his ERA to 3.45 and his WHIP to 1.10, with a 5-3 record and a 63-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 73 innings complementing those strong marks.

He opened the season in the bullpen and allowed just one run over 10.2 innings while working as a reliever during April, but he then struggled as a starter in May, allowing 16 earned runs over just 28.2 innings in five starts.

With a 4-0 record and 2.94 ERA through five June outings, Estrada seems to have turned his season back around, ensuring that he'll keep a place in the Toronto rotation.