PHILADELPHIA – Cristian Javier could have claimed a near-unprecedented piece of World Series history all to himself Wednesday night. Instead, he shared in the glory – and with two more victories, the Houston Astros may reap the ultimate prize.
Javier pitched six no-hit innings, so dominating the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 that he certainly could have become just the second pitcher to throw a solo no-hitter in a World Series game. But he exited after six innings and 97 pitches, and Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly finished the job, joining Javier for a combined no-hitter and a 5-0 Astros victory that squared this World Series at 2-2.
It was just the second no-hitter in World Series history, joining the New York Yankees’ Don Larsen, who threw a perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. And it was just the third no-hitter in playoff history, the first since the late Roy Halladay pulled the feat off in Game 1 of the 2010 National League Division Series against the Cincinnati Reds, on the same Citizens Bank Park mound where Javier and friends worked their Game 4 magic on Wednesday.
GAME 4: After combined no-hitter vs. Phillies, Astros back in control of World Series
THURSDAY: World Series collides with TNF, both feature Philly, Houston teams
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Javier, a 25-year-old from the Dominican Republic, was pitching in front of his…
