Astros throw 2nd no-hitter in World Series history to take Game 4

The Houston Astros evened the World Series on Wednesday, winning Game 4 at Citizens Bank Park 5-0 after no-hitting the Philadelphia Phillies.

Astros starter Cristian Javier was magnificent in the contest, working six hitless innings. The right-hander allowed two walks and struck out nine while throwing 97 pitches before being relieved by Bryan Abreu to start the seventh. Abreu then struck out J.T. Realmuto, Bryce Harper, and Nick Castellanos.

Rafael Montero was summoned for the eighth inning and put the Astros three outs away from the first combined no-hitter in World Series history.

Astros closer Ryan Pressly was called upon for the final three outs. He issued a walk to Kyle Schwarber, which ended a string of 18 straight Phillies retired.

In total, Houston's pitching staff racked up 14 strikeouts in the victory.

"That's crazy, man," said catcher Christian Vazquez, making his first start of the World Series for the Astros and only second of this postseason. "It was special."

Vazquez is now one of two catchers to work behind the plate for a World Series no-hitter, joining Hall of Famer Yogi Berra.

Javier is the first pitcher to carry a no-no through six innings of a World Series game since Jerry Koosman in 1969, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com. Koosman lost his bid in the seventh.

The 25-year-old is also the only pitcher to have two consecutive postseason starts of at least five innings pitched with one or no hits allowed. He hasn't allowed an earned run as a starter since Sept. 7 - a stretch of 34 1/3 innings that omits his relief appearance in the ALDS.

Javier said postgame that his parents told him Tuesday that he'd throw a no-hitter. It was also the first time his father got to watch him pitch live professionally, arriving in the United States on Tuesday, according to Mark Berman of Fox.

Two combined no-hitters were thrown during the 2022 regular season, one started by Javier and the other by the New York Mets in a game against the Phillies and Aaron Nola, who also started Wednesday's game and was hit with the loss.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson was quick to remind everyone that after the team's last no-hitter loss, it came back to win the very next day. "We've got a short memory," he said, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Don Larsen is the only player to throw a solo no-hitter in the World Series, tossing a perfect game in 1956 as a member of the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The only other postseason no-hitter was thrown by Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay during the 2010 NLDS.

Game 5 is slated for Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. Right-hander Noah Syndergaard is set to face Houston ace Justin Verlander.