It was his first complete game at the big league level and surpassed his career high in pitches thrown in the 8th inning at 113. Seattle’s Hisashi Iwakuma tossed a no-no on August 12. This was something else, though.
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Fiers, 30, was making just his third start for the Astros and it will be a night he will never forget. The right-hander retired 21 of the last 22, including the last 18.
Mike Fiers reacts to recording the final out of his no-hitter.
Acquired by the Astros at the trade deadline to help with their playoff push, Fiers was stellar in his first two starts for Houston. The Jimmy Rollins fly out to deep right-center leading off the ninth inning was the first out Fiers had ever recorded in the ninth inning as a starter.
Fiers crouched in relief then pointed out to his teammate.
This is the 11th no-hitter in Astros history, and first since Darryl Kile no-hit the Mets in 1993. On June 11, 2003, Roy Oswalt and five relievers combined to no-hit the New York Yankee at Yankees Stadium.
His no-hitter comes after a tough year in 2014, when he hit Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton in the face with a fastball.
The key is that Fiers really isn’t the same pitcher who broke through as a rookie with the Brewers in 2012.
“We were all watching”, said second baseman Scooter Gennett. Evan Gattis hit a solo home run to left in the sixth. Los Angeles’ offense has hit the skids in the last four contests, mustering just eight runs and 16 hits as the team saw its lead over second-place San Francisco in the National League West trimmed to 1 1/2 games.
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Kazmir is coming off his worst start since joining the Astros.
