Tuesday night Astros pitcher Framber Valdez threw a no hitter in a 2-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians. He struck out seven and only allowed one walk. It’s the first Astros no hitter for a left handed pitcher. And he only threw 93 pitches which is the fewest for a no-no since David Cone needed only 88 in 1999.
It’s the 16th time the Astros franchise has recorded a no hitter and just about every time it’s happened, there’s some history made. With some help from the Astros and baseball reference, let’s take a look back.
The first no hitter of course was historical for Houston and Don Nottebart who did it in 1963 in a 4-1 win over Philadelphia. Only seven times since a pitcher(s) has thrown a no-hitter while giving up a run.
Maybe the most notable was in 1964 when Ken Johnson threw a no hitter and lost to Cincinnati 1-0. That’s only happened one other time and it was in 1967 when two Baltimore pitchers lost to Detroit 2-1 despite throwing a no hitter.
Don Wilson threw the third and fourth Astros no hitter. In 1967 he blanked Atlanta 2-0 for the first no hitter indoors (Astrodome). Then in 1969 he beat the Reds 4-0 for the first Astros no hitter on the road.
Larry Dierker threw the only no hitter of his 13 year career with the Astros in 1976 when he beat Montreal 6-0. He was sent to St. Louis the next season. He was also the first Astro pitcher to win 20 games in a season (1969).
The sixth no hitter was by Ken Forsch in 1979 in a 6-0 win over Atlanta. It happened in the second game of the season and he joined his brother Bob as the only brothers to throw no-no’s.
The great Nolan Ryan would threw the fifth of his seven no hitters in 1981 in a 5-0 win over the Dodgers. The win broke Sandy Koufax’s record for no hitters and it was his only one as an Astro.
Mike Scott may have thrown the most important, certainly at the time, in 1986. His 2-0 no hitter vs. the Giants on the last day of the season clinched the NL West title. Alan Ashby caught the no hitter, his third as an Astro which is the team record.
Daryl Kile threw his only no hitter in ’93 in a 7-1 win over the Mets. The only base runner in the game for New York scored on a wild pitch.
Maybe the tenth no hitter was the craziest one. It happened in 2003 when six Astros combined to beat the Yankees 8-0 in New York. Roy Oswalt (left the game in the second with an injury), Peter Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner combined for the most pitchers to throw a no hitter. It was also the first interleague no hitter and the last no hitter for the Astros as a National League team.
Maybe the most unlikely was the Mike Fiers no hitter in 2015. He beat the Dodgers 3-0 in just his third start for Houston after a mid season trade. It was his first ever complete game as he threw a team record 134 pitches. It was also the first no hitter in Minute Maid Park.
Four Astros (Aaron Sanchez, Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski) no hit Seattle 9-0 in 2019. Largest margin of victory for an Astros no-no. Sanchez and Biagini were making their first appearances with Houston after a trade.
The 13th no hitter came from the man who just rejoined the team. Justin Verlander beat Toronto 2-0 in 2019 making it the first time Houston had thrown two no hitters in the same season. Guess who was the only Blue Jay to reach base? Craig Biggio’s son, Cavan.
Cristian Javier, Hector Neris, and Ryan Pressley combined to no hit the Yankees 3-0 in 2022 making the Astros the only team to no hit the Yankees twice in New York.
The 15th no hitter was also in 2022 but in the World Series when Houston beat the Phillies 5-0. Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressley combined to throw just the second WS no-no and the first post season combined no hitter in MLB history.
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