Cubs History: A chronicle of no-hitters through the years

Cubs History: Carlos Zambrano quiets the Astros

In 2008, a Category 4 Hurricane, ‘Hurricane Ike,’ swept through the country, forcing the neutral site face-off between the Cubs and Astros. Playing in Miller Park in Milwaukee, Carlos Zambrano put the pedal to the metal and in front of 23,441, many of who were Cubs fans, struck out ten, walking only one batter.
The year before, Zambrano finished fifth in National League Cy Young voting, and 2008 earned an all-star nod pitching to a 3.91 ERA and won the Silver Slugger for NL pitchers. The Astros were not the same as they had once been, but the lineup included Darin Erstad, Lance Berkman, and Hunter Pence.
Zambrano would go on to pitch three more seasons in Chicago. He finished as one of the better pitchers in its history with 11-year career, compiling a 3.60 ERA and three all-star appearances. The Cubs finished 97-64, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. And while the end of the season didn’t go as fans had hoped, Zambrano helped make history as the eighth Cubs pitcher in the “modern era” to throw a no-hitter.