Phillies no-hit by four Astros pitchers in demoralizing world series game 4 loss
The Phillies were shutout 5-0 and failed to record a hit in the World Series for the first time since 1956 in an embarrassing Game 4 loss to the Astros.
Astros Beat Phillies; World Series Tied 2-2
- Winning Pitcher: Cristian Javier (2-0, 0.71)
- Losing Pitcher: Aaron Nola (2-2, 4.91)
- Save:
The baseball gods giveth and the baseball gods taketh away. Just one night after a win defined by an explosion of offensive fireworks, a seemingly unstoppable Phillies lineup was silenced in the first playoff no-hitter since Roy Halladay shut down the Cincinnati Reds in the 2010 NLDS and the first World Series no-hitter since the infamous Don Larsen game in 1956.
1956 and 2022..yikes!
Regardless of my tendency to root for the Phillies, I have to acknowledge a historic moment when it happens. But you know what? It’s going to be even more historic when the Astros go on to lose a World Series for the first time after tossing a no-hitter. For all we know this ends up meaning nothing more to the Phillies than if they had lost Game 4 in a back-and-forth high-scoring affair. At the end of the day you can’t win a game in which you don’t score a run.
Will this kill the Phillies mojo?
I highly doubt that a team on the verge of a World Series championship will allow something like the shame of being no-hit, stopping them from bouncing back in front of the home fans in Game 5. This team has much bigger things to worry about than some historic bullshit and it begins with the fact that Noah Syndergaard and not Zack Wheeler will be be taking the mound tomorrow night.
The Phillies are essentially putting their season in the hands of a guy who hasn’t been a big game pitcher in years and certainly has had his struggles in red pinstripes. After what happened tonight, thinking about this literally makes me ill.
As for Aaron Nola, well he came into Game 4 with a ton of pressure to redeem himself after two consecutive below-average starts in the playoffs and despite looking good early on, made that number three straight. Oddly enough, it wasn’t the long ball that sunk Nola on Wednesday night, but three straight singles. I think the matter of whether Nola can ever be a #1 guy capable of taking over a series has been put to rest.
As good as Jose Alvarado had been in the playoffs coming into high-leverage situations, the bases loaded jam he inherited from Nola was too much to overcome. Alvarado hit Jordan Alvarez on the first pitch he threw and then allowed a gut shot of a 3-run double to Alex Bregman. In the blink of an eye it was 5-0 and the ball game was essentially over for a Phillies team that would not be able to put bat on ball for the rest of the night.
You have to wonder whether Rob Thompson would make the same choice after seeing how the disastrous 5th inning turned out. Would Nola have managed to work himself out of trouble and possibly have only give up one run? I suppose it couldn’t have turned out any worse than it did and for Rob Thompson it will go down as one of the first time this postseason where he rolled the dice in a big moment and lost.
There’s going to be a lot of people trying to shit on the Phillies and the city of Philadelphia for the next 20ish hours. Just remember to hold your head up high and remember that this team is still just two wins away from a championship. If we know anything by this point of the series, it’s that the momentum has been swinging wildly back and forth. Don’t get caught up in the no-hitter stats and pointless narrative.
After everything we have been through so far, I still like this teams’ chances.
Tomorrow night Philadelphia destroys Houston on the diamond and on the gridiron. Tomorrow we ring the bell.
Up Next for the Phillies
The Phillies will look to bounce back after being no-hit and silenced offensively when they take on the Astros in the last game of the season at Citizens Bank Park with the first pitch scheduled for 8:03 PM EST.
FOX will carry the broadcast of the game.
Noah Syndergaard (0-0, 1.69) will take the mound facing off against Justin Verlander (1-1, 7.20)
Jean Segura scoops up the ground ball and makes a quick throw to first base to get Alex Bregman for the final out of the 1st inning.
After reaching base on a leadoff double by Kyle Tucker, he moves to third base with only one out in the 2nd inning.
Aaron Nola gets a huge strikeout of Aledmys Diaz for the 2nd out of the 2nd inning. HUGE!
Aaron Nola strikes out West Chester, PA native Chas McCormick to end the 2nd inning. Nola works himself out of a jam in a huge spot!
Nola gets Peña swinging for the 2nd out of the 3rd inning.
Aaron Nola escapes a jam with two men on base in the 4th inning by forcing a ground ball to Bryson Stott at shortstop. Aye Aye Nola!
After Aaron Nola loaded the bases on three straight hits, Jose Alvarado hits Jordan Alvarez with his first pitch to put the Astros on the scoreboard. Yikes!
1-0 Astros
Jose Alvarado gives up an enormous 3-run double to Alex Bregman in the 5th inning to blow the game wide open for the Astros.
4-0 Astros
After Kyle Tucker made it 4-0 with a sacrifice-fly, Yulli Gurriel adds on another Astros run with an RBI single off Alvarado.
5-0 Astros
Andrew Bellatti gets the first out by striking out Chas McCormick in what was a scoreless 6th inning of relief.
David Robertson strikes out Jordan Alvarez swinging for the first out of a scoreless 7th inning.
Zach Eflin strikes out the side in a scoreless 8th inning of relief. But the Phillies still have no hits 🙁
The Phillies just became the second team in World Series history to be no hit. Yikes!
ASTROS WIN 5-5
SERIES TIED 2-2.
Mandatory Photo Credit: BILL STREICHER/USA TODAY SPORTS
