NEW YORK (AP) — After carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning, Luis Severino was asked when he knew this could be a special night.

“First pitch of the game,” the New York Mets starter said with an easy laugh. “I was feeling good, even in the bullpen. Fastball, the command was outstanding. Even the breaking pitches. Sweeper in the bullpen was really good, too.”

Making his sixth start with his new team, a dominant Severino held the Chicago Cubs hitless Monday until Dansby Swanson singled on the right-hander’s 89th pitch with nobody out in the eighth.

Swanson connected on an 0-2 sinker clocked at 97 mph, sending a soft liner over shortstop into shallow left-center for a clean base hit. His run at a historic performance over, Severino received a standing ovation from a Citi Field crowd of 25,046 that included actor and comedian Bill Murray, a noted Cubs fan.