The Houston Astros responded to their nightmarish World Series Game 3 loss on the road on Tuesday by relying on what has been their biggest strength all year long – pitching.
Starter Cristian Javier, relievers Bryan Abreu and Rafael Montero and closer Ryan Pressly froze the Philadelphia Phillies’ bats to craft a combined no-hitter in Houston’s series-tying 5-0 Game 4 win over its hosts on Wednesday.
By pulling even with the Phillies for the second time in the Fall Classic, the Astros forced at least one more game at Minute Maid Park on Saturday.
Per a report on the team’s website, Javier put in six innings of work to the tune of 97 pitches against a Philadelphia offense that was formidable in the familiar confines of Citizens Bank Park.
Abreu took the mound in the seventh and was followed by Montero in the eighth and Pressly in the ninth to help the man known as “El Reptil” preserve the first combined no-hitter and second no-no in World Series history, the report said.
“We had a fresh bullpen, our guys are throwing [well] down there and we figured that was enough, especially this late in the year,” third-year manager Dusty Baker said, per the franchise.
The pitching staff’s historic night was complemented by a strong showing of prolific offense in the fifth inning.
A hit by pitch (HBP) taken by slugger Yordan Alvarez with the bases loaded and no outs gave way to a five-run explosion to silence the frenzied predominantly Phillies crowd, the Astros’ report said.
According to the report, the frame capped a 16-inning scoring drought for the visitors.
Javier is no stranger to the combined no-hitter as he was the starter in the one he, Pressly and Hector Neris strung together in a June game against the New York Yankees.
Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that the 25-year-old hurler joined the likes of Don Larson and Roy Halladay in the exclusive fraternity of pitchers who recorded postseason no-no’s.
The Astros enter Thursday’s Game 5 looking to snatch the series lead for the first time before flying back home for possibly the last two games.
