Cubs stick to Cade Horton pitch limit despite 5 no-hit innings

CHICAGO — Cubs rookie starter Cade Horton has been almost unhittable since the All-Star break.

In fact, for the first five innings against Atlanta on Wednesday night, the 24-year-old right-hander didn’t allow any hits at all to the Braves.

But then came manager Craig Counsell’s hard stop.

Once he reached 75 pitches, Horton got the hook. Never mind that he issued just one walk on 10 pitches to Matt Olson — the second batter of the game — and then retired 14 in a row.

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Ben Brown entered to start the sixth and kept Chicago’s no-hit bid going until Ozzie Albies lined a single leading off the seventh. That sparked a rally that led to Atlanta’s 5-1 win.

Chicago fell six games behind first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central, but Counsell’s policy of protecting Horton for the stretch run and beyond doesn’t bother the young pitcher, especially with the Cubs holding the top NL wild-card spot.

“Honestly, it really has helped me a lot,” Horton said. “I think just knowing I’m kind of like at that 75-pitch limit, it almost makes me scale down the moment. It’s like, all right, let’s just go out there today and get 15 outs and do it as efficiently as possible.”

Horton credits Counsell’s limit with helping him recover between starts and remain strong as he acclimates to the majors.

The University of Oklahoma product has allowed just 24 hits and four runs in 47 innings across his last nine starts for a 0.77 ERA. In 20 appearances (19 starts) this season, Horton is 9-4 with a 2.78 ERA, putting him on the short list for NL Rookie of the Year consideration.

Counsell said Horton’s “96-97 [mph] fastball” with “unique action and some cut” and an effective breaking ball make him hard to hit.

“It’s an attack mentality,” Counsell said. “It’s fun to watch, and it’s been a really, really impressive start to a major league career.”

And when it comes to the 75-pitch limit?

“It’s what we’re doing,” Counsell said. “Cade could have four or five regular-season starts left, and hopefully he’s got another four or five more starts after that. That innings number could get pretty high, so we’re going to make sure he is properly taken care of.”

And that’s why Horton didn’t really think about asking Counsell to continue his no-hit bit Wednesday.

“Jokingly,” Horton said. “I know at the end of the day it’s not going to happen.

“And that’s all right. I’d much rather be healthy for the postseason than go out there for the sixth or seventh in early September.”