PHILADELPHIA — No, no, you have got to be kidding.
One night after they were manhandled by a lineup that resembled a Murderers’ Row, the Astros got even Wednesday in maybe the sweetest possible manner.
They no-hit the Phillies.
Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly handled the heavy lifting in a 5-0 victory in Game 4 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park. The series, tied 2-2, is now ensured of returning to Houston this weekend. The teams will play Game 5 on Thursday, when Justin Verlander is scheduled to face Noah Syndergaard.
Don Larsen’s perfect game against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series remains the fall standard for a pitching performance. But Wednesday marked only the second time (and first since Larsen’s gem for the Yankees) that a team got no-hit in the World Series. The only other no-hitter in postseason history was thrown by the Phillies’ Roy Halladay in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS against the Reds in this ballpark.
This was extra sweet for the 25-year-old Javier, whose dad was in attendance from the Dominican Republic to watch him pitch with the Astros for the first time. Javier said his parents predicted he would pitch a no-hitter.
“When they told me that, obviously I got a lot more motivated,” Javier said. “I kept my faith in God and obviously I knew I had a big commitment today being down 2-1 in the series. And with my parents being here, I just tried to give my best, give my family the best that I could.”
On Tuesday, the Phillies blasted five home runs in destroying the Astros, but Javier set an early tone over six innings that consisted of 97 pitches before Abreu, Montero and Pressly handled the rest.
“Man, it’s a strange series,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “They hit five home runs [Tuesday] and got no-hit today. It’s a daily grind and daily emotions.”
A moment of pause came in the eighth when Jean Segura hit a screaming line drive to right field against Montero. But Kyle Tucker was positioned perfectly and caught it for the final out.
In the ninth, Pressly struck out Brandon Marsh and walked Kyle Schwarber — the third Phillies batter to reach base on a walk — before Rhys Hoskins flied to right and J.T. Realmuto grounded out to third base, beginning the celebration.
“We have not finished the job yet, but this is very special for us and when we get old we are going to remember it,” Astros catcher Christian Vazquez said.
Javier continued the brilliance he displayed in his previous five starts — all games in which he allowed two hits or fewer over five innings. That stretch included a dismantling of the Yankees in Game 4 of the ALCS, when he allowed one hit over 5 ¹/₃ innings. Overall, he has surrendered only seven hits over his last 34 ¹/₃ innings.
Departing a game with no hits allowed is old hat for Javier, who combined with Hector Neris and Pressly to no-hit the Yankees on June 25 in The Bronx. It marked the first time the Yankees had been no-hit since 2003 (also by the Astros).
In a third straight underwhelming start, Aaron Nola was removed after 67 pitches with the bases loaded and nobody out in the fifth. The right-hander allowed three earned runs on seven hits and a hit batsman. It followed a Game 1 clunker that saw Nola allow five earned runs over 4 ¹/₃ innings. That followed a performance against the Padres in the NLCS in which he allowed six earned runs over 4 ²/₃ innings.
The Astros loaded the bases on consecutive singles by Chas McCormick, Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña to begin the fifth, ending Nola’s night. Jose Alvarado drilled Yordan Alavarez with his first pitch, bringing in the game’s first run. Bregman’s ensuing double extended the Astros’ lead to 3-0.
Alvarado retired Tucker on a fly to center that brought in the fourth run before Yuli Gurriel delivered an RBI single that buried the Phillies in a 5-0 hole.
Bryce Harper walked leading off the second for the Phillies and stole second, but advanced no further. Marsh got to second on a walk and stolen base in the third, but was left stranded.
How will the Phillies recover? Phillies manager Rob Thomson noted the Mets threw a combined no-hitter against his team in April at Citi Field.
“And we came back the next day and won,” Thomson said. “So these guys have got a short memory.”
