PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — World Series history was made Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park. The kind that the Philadelphia Phillies want to forget.
In six innings, Houston Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier shut down the Phillies’ lineup, one which produced one of the most explosive evenings of home run hitting in World Series history just 24 hours beforehand. He shut up the previously-raucous crowd of Phillies fans at Citizens Bank Park, one which had helped the Fightin' Phils go undefeated at home in the postseason entering Wednesday night.
Javier and relievers Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly no-hit a previously dominant Phillies offensive squad in a 5-0 triumph that evened the 2022 World Series at two victories each.
It’s only the second no-hitter in World Series history. The first came in 1956, when Yankees pitcher Don Larsen pitched a perfect game in Game 5 over Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Javier took a Phillies lineup that had smashed five home runs in the first five innings of Game 3, and shredded it, allowing just two Philadelphia base runners on walks.
He struck out nine Phillies in six innings, followed by three Abreu strikeouts one inning later. In all, the Astros struck out 14 Phillies.
All this happened against a Philadelphia offense that had averaged six runs per game at home in the 2022 postseason entering Wednesday.
Javier said his parents predicted Tuesday night he was going to throw a no-hitter.
Yuri Gurriel went 2-4 with an RBI to help pace Houston’s offense.
Game 5 comes Thursday night at 8:03 p.m., with a pair of veteran pitchers expected to take the Citizens Bank Park mound: Houston’s Justin Verlander against the Phillies' Noah Syndergaard. The earliest the Phillies can clinch a World Series title is Saturday night in Houston.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.