Astros make history, achieve second no-hitter in World Series play

PHILADELPHIA — The Houston Astros became the second team in World Series history to spin a no-hitter, as four pitchers frustrated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 on Wednesday night in Game 4 at Citizens Bank Park.

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It was the first combined no-hitter in World Series history and tied the best-of-seven series at 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Thursday. Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly held the Phillies hitless, and more importantly, guaranteed that the World Series would return to Houston.

It was also the first no-hitter in the Fall Classic since Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitched a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series on Oct. 8, 1956.

And, it was the first no-hitter in postseason play since Roy Halladay -- ironically, pitching for the Phillies in the same ballpark -- held the Cincinnati Reds hitless during in Game 1 of the 2010 National League Divisional Series.

Dusty Baker was the losing manager in that game. On Wednesday night, he was the winning manager and was on the positive end of major league history.

This time, Javier, Abreu, Montero and Pressly combined to stymie the Phillies, who only managed three walks.

Javier, 25, pitched six no-hit innings, throwing 97 pitches and striking out nine. He walked two.

“I tried to stay attacking the strike zone, tried to pitch as deep as possible into the game,” Javier said in his postgame interview on the field through a translator. “And we were able to get a good result today.”

Javier also played a part in a combined no-hitter in June against the New York Yankees, ESPN reported. In that game at Yankee Stadium, Javier started and pitched seven no-hit innings, throwing 115 pitches.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Baker said after the game. “The sky is the limit for that young man.”

The Phillies entered Game 4 after a hard-hitting performance Tuesday in Game 3, smashing five home runs off Houston pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.

In Game 4, Philadelphia could not buy a hit.

“You know, we were no-hit in New York against the Mets earlier this year, and we came back the next day and won,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said during his postgame news conference. “These guys, they’ve got a short memory, and they’re gonna go home tonight, go to bed, and come back in here tomorrow, and prep, and compete like they always do.”

The Astros scored all of their runs in the top of the fifth inning, with Alex Bregman’s two-run double the key hit.

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