A rare and incredible feat took place Wednesday as Houston Astros' pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series. It was the second no-hitter in World Series history and the first since New York Yankees' pitcher Don Larsen tossed a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.
How the Astros Threw a World Series No-Hitter
Cristian Javier made the start on the mound for the Astros and worked six masterful innings with nine strikeouts and two walks on 97 pitches. Apparently, Javier wasn't tipping his pitches. This comes on the heels of a 7-0 blowout victory in Game 3 by the Phillies, who destroyed Lance McCullers Jr. for seven earned runs in 4.1 innings.
Javier had the fastball and slider dancing all over, and he pretty much stuck to those two pitches (72% four-seamer, 26% slider). As Chicago Cubs fans, we are used to seeing former manager Dusty Baker misuse his pitching staff, especially in the postseason. I and many others wanted to see Baker let Javier cruise until he gave up a hit, but the veteran skipper pulled his starter before he reached the 100-pitch mark. Dusty may be learning with age.
Relief pitchers Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressly slammed the door shut in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, respectively. Pressly made it a tad interesting with a one-out walk in the ninth inning but ultimately retired the next two batters to help accomplish the historical feat.
After being shut out in Game 3, the Astros' bats came to life and put up a five-spot in the fifth inning. Alex Bregman delivered the big blow with a two-run double and Yuli Gurriel added an RBI single. Behind dominant pitching and timely hitting, the 'Stros won 5-0.
What's On Tap Next?
With their Game 4 victory, the Houston Astros tied the series at two apiece and regained the home-field advantage from the Philadelphia Phillies. Game 5 will take place Thursday in Philadelphia with first pitch scheduled for 7:03 PM CT. The game will be televised on FOX.
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