(CNN) The modern-era record in Major League Baseball for most no-hitters thrown in a season was broken on Saturday in a sensational way, as a pitcher achieved the feat in his first career big league start.
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Tyler Gilbert tossed the no-hitter as the team defeated the San Diego Padres 7-0 at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Gilbert, making his first career start, struck out five batters and walked Padres outfielder Tommy Pham three times.
Gilbert is only the fourth pitcher in league history to throw a no-hitter in his first start, and is the first to do so since 1953, according to MLB.com.
The record for most no-hitters thrown in a given year is eight, which was set in 1884 and matched this season. Before this, the most no-hitters in any modern-era season since 1900 was seven, happening in 1990, 1991, 2012, and 2015, according to Major League Baseball.
Madison Bumgarner of the Arizona Diamondbacks also no-hit the Atlanta Braves in April, but the performance did not count as an official no-hitter because the game was shortened to seven innings for a doubleheader that day.