Nationals' rookie leaguers pitch back-to-back no-hitters in doubleheader

Only 296 no-hitters have ever been thrown in Major League Baseball's history, making the elusive feat one of the sport's grandest pitching accomplishments.

The Washington Nationals' rookie-league squad, the Gulf Coast League Nationals, threw two of them in one day Sunday.

Thanks to their game on July 18 having been postponed to Sunday, the Nationals' rookie-level side had to play through a doubleheader against the GCL Marlins on relatively short notice, though that apparently didn't bother prospect arms Joan Baez, Jose Jimenez, Jared Johnson, and Gilberto Chu.

In Game 1 against the Marlins, Baez started and pitched six no-hit frames against Miami's minor-league affiliate, while Jimenez entered in the seventh - the final inning as minor-league doubleheaders are only seven innings long - and secured the Nationals' 4-0 win.

The rescheduled Game 2 wasn't as lopsided, though.

Though Johnson started and pitched four hitless innings, Chu picked up the win when he contributed with three of his own no-hit innings in relief, helping the Nationals win Game 2, 1-0.