White Sox’ Lucas Giolito no-hits Pirates for franchise’s 19th no-no

Lucas Giolito was numb.

“Oh, my God, I don’t feel anything,” Giolito said. “All I can say is I’m really glad we got it done.”

“It” was the first no-hitter of the 2020 coronavirus season, a 13-strikeout, one-walk masterpiece against the Pirates in a 4-0 victory for the charging White Sox before no fans at Guaranteed Rate Field.

A team that slugged its way to a seven-game winning streak last week and came into the game with 30 home runs in its previous nine games, the Sox did not homer on this night but added another electric moment of a turning-point season with the franchise’s first no-hitter since right-hander Philip Humber threw a perfect game in Seattle on April 21, 2012. It was the Sox’ 19th no-hitter of the 304 thrown in major-league history and the first at home since Mark Buehrle’s perfect game in 2009 against the Rays.

Giolito, coming off a 13-strikeout performance Thursday in seven scoreless innings against the Tigers, was even better and more efficient on this night, needing 101 pitches (74 strikes). He finished off the near-perfect night by retiring Jarrod Dyson on a strikeout, pinch hitter Jose Osuna on a foul fly to right fielder Adam Engel and Erik Gonzalez on a sinking liner to Engel in the ninth before getting mobbed by teammates.

“I knew it was working in a nice 1-2-3 first inning, and it kept building and building,” Giolito said. “After the sixth inning, I knew what was going on, and after the seventh, I said, ‘I have six outs left.’ I looked at who was coming up and said, ‘This is very much in the realm of possibilities.’ I just had to stick with my game plan and make it happen.”

Giolito, who became an All-Star in 2019 after an awful season in 2018, improved to 3-2 and lowered his ERA to 3.09.

“It’s crazy, man,” Giolito said. “The weird thing is, I always envisioned I’d throw a no-hitter in the big leagues. If you had asked me in ’18, I would say, ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

“I was pretty much bottom of the league in every stat.”

The Pirates, who had won three in a row, fell to 7-18 like a rock.

“Complete control,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “I’ve seen him a bunch of times in the AL Central. By far the best I’ve seen him.”

The Sox (18-12) scored three runs in the second inning against Pirates lefty Steven Brault and improved to 8-0 against left-handers. Engel pushed a run across on a slow tap to first base with the bases full, breaking a streak of 20 consecutive Sox runs scored via the home run. Tim Anderson and Eloy Jimenez followed with RBI singles, Jimenez punching a soft one through a vacated hole on the right side of the infield. Catcher James McCann drove in the Sox’ fourth run with a sacrifice fly in the third.

Jimenez may have been a casualty in the celebration, twisting his ankle and sitting on the ground near the mound before walking off on his own.

“We’ll see how he is [Wednesday],” manager Rick Renteria said.

McCann said Giolito was in complete control from start to finish.

“I didn’t say anything but to stay aggressive and keep getting after it, attack, attack, attack,” said McCann, who caught his first no-hitter.

“I don’t have the words to describe it. Doing it with a guy like Lucas, I don’t know what to say.”

Giolito was mobbed by teammates and also got a huge hug from Renteria.

“That hug I gave him, I’m telling you I wanted to cry,” Renteria said, “because it’s been a tremendous journey for these guys putting themselves where they want to. There’s a lot of season left and so many things to accomplish for the Chicago White Sox, but it seems like you’re seeing those stepping-stones to help you believe these young men are moving in a really positive direction. You’re elated.”

“It’s crazy,” Giolito said, “but I know I can get better. I know I can improve. I want to be the best pitcher I can be. I want to enjoy this and get ready to get back on the mound for my next start.”