The Houston Astros evened up the 2022 World Series in historic fashion on Wednesday night, as Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressly pitched a combined no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
It’s the third no-hitter in MLB postseason history and the first combined no-no. Furthermore, it was the second combined no-hitter Javier started this season. The right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings of a combined-no-hitter against the New York Yankees on June 25 on the road in the Bronx.
The Astros became the first team in MLB history to throw two combined no-hitters in one season, and the Phillies are the second team to be twice held without a hit in one year since the 2019 Seattle Mariners. According to HotSlots Online, the odds of this happening are at least 500-1, but in a season where records have been broken across the board, it seems fitting.
MLB Postseason No-Hitters
Roy Halladay, Game 1 of 2010 NLDS
Before the Astros’ combined no-hitter, the Phillies’ Roy Halladay was the last pitcher to accomplish the feat in the postseason. He threw a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the 2010 National League Division Series.
Halladay was a fifth-inning walk from perfection, which would have been his second of the season. He previously threw a perfect game against the Florida Marlins on May 29, 2010.
The Phillies nevertheless cruised to an 8-0 win over the Reds and went on to sweep them in three games.
Coincidentally, Dusty Baker was the manager of the Reds team that ended up on the wrong side of postseason history against Halladay.
Don Larsen, Game 5 of the 1956 World Series
Yankees right-hander Don Larsen etched his name in baseball lore when he threw a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 2 of the 1956 World Series.
Larsen struck out seven batters and completed his masterpiece on 97 pitches. To this day, it remains the only perfect game in MLB postseason history.
Game 4 of the 2022 World Series
Javier issued only two walks and collected nine strikeouts in six innings. He was followed by Abreu, who struck out the side in the seventh inning. Montero then retired the side in order in the eighth before Pressly worked around a walk to complete the no-hitter.
Notable Close Calls
There have been a few close calls over the years, including Game 3 of the 2021 World Series when the Atlanta Braves Ian Anderson, A.J. Minter, Luke Jackson, and Tyler Matzek nearly combined to throw a no-hitter against the Astros.
The Washington Nationals’ Aníbal Sánchez also flirted with a no-hitter in Game 1 of the 2019 NL Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, getting through 7.2 innings before allowing his first hit to Jose Martinez.
