Photo credit, NBC Sports
The Houston Astros responded to the Phillies in game four. After being dominated in game three, Bryan Abreu, Cristian Javier, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressly teamed up to pitch a no-hitter.
The feat had yet to be accomplished since Don Larsen pitched a perfect game for the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956.
Javier started the game, pitching six strong innings, striking out nine, walked two on a 97-pitch effort before yielding to reliever Abreu. Javier kept the Phillies off balance with a mixture of breaking pitches sprinkled with fastballs that reached 99 miles per hour. His command and location of the pitches also help set the tone.
The calm, collected Javier displayed business as usual as he strolled off the mound to the dugout after closing out each inning.
Abreu relieved Javier, pitching one hitless inning. Montero and Pressly closed out the game.
Earlier this season, Javier and the bullpen combined on a no-hitter in June. Javier worked seven innings, struck out 13 Yankee batters, and gave up a walk after delivering 115 pitches.
Hector Neris surrendered a pair of walks but remained hitless, setting the stage for closer Pressly, who struck out Anthony Rizzo, and Josh Donaldson as Giancarlo Stanton grounded out to third base for the final out.
The day before, the Astros found themselves on the short end of an onslaught that watched the Phillies hit five home runs. Bryce Harper headlined the barrage by launching a ball deep in the right-field bleachers. Alec Bohm, Rhys Hoskins, Brandon Marsh, and Kyle Schwarber also homered. Philadelphia is the first team to launch three home runs in the first two innings and the fourth-ever to connect on five home runs in a world series.
Astros Lance McCullers Jr., who was accused of tipping his pitches, allowed all five home runs, making him the first pitcher to surrender five long balls in a world series. His evening concluded after 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on six hits.
Baseball resumes this evening in Philadelphia as Houston evens the series at two games each on the strength of a 5-0 shutout in the 118th World Series on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Chas McCormick, Jose Altuve, and Jeremy Pena got aboard with three consecutive singles, knocking the starting pitcher Aaron Nola out of the game in the fifth inning.
Jose Alvarado relieved Nola and greeted Alvarez by drilling a pitch in his right side to force home the Astros first run of the game. Alex Bregman followed, slapping a two-RBI double to right field, increasing the score, 3-0. Kyle Tucker and Yuli Gurriel completed the scoring with a run-scoring sacrifice fly and an RBI single to build a 5-0 lead.
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