4 Houston Astros pitchers combine to throw the 2nd no-hitter in World Series history, evening the series 2-2

PHILADELPHIA — Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly held the Philadelphia Phillies hitless in Game 4 of the World Series on Wednesday night, and the Houston Astros won 5-0 after knocking out Aaron Nola in a five-run fifth.

It’s the second no-hitter in World Series history and the first combined no-no in the postseason.

The series is now tied at two games apiece.

With the Astros trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, Javier pitched six innings and allowed only a pair of baserunners. He walked Bryce Harper leading off the second and No. 9 hitter Brandon Marsh with one out in the third.

A 25-year-old right-hander, Javier struck out nine, including five in a row in the fourth and fifth. He threw 63 of 97 pitches for strikes, including 70 fastballs, 25 sliders and a pair of knuckle-curves.

Abreu struck out J.T. Realmuto, Harper and Nick Castellanos in succession on 15 pitches in the seventh, throwing at up to 99.7 mph.

Montero got three straight outs in the eighth on 10 pitches, extending the streak of consecutive batters retired to 17. Jean Segura lined out to right field to end the inning.

Pressly walked Kyle Schwarber with one out in the ninth before getting Rhys Hoskins to fly out to right and Realmuto to ground out to third.

On June 25 at Yankee Stadium, Javier combined with Héctor Neris and Pressly to no-hit the New York Yankees. Javier threw 115 pitches in seven innings and the relievers combined for 35 more.

Javier has allowed one run in his last 38 innings, including the final month of the regular season.

Don Larsen of the Yankees pitched the only previous no-hitter in World Series history, a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5 in 1956. The only other postseason no-hitter was by Phillies ace Roy Halladay in a 2010 NL Division Series opener against the Cincinnati Reds, also at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies were no-hit by the New York Mets on April 29 at Citi Field when Tylor Megill went five innings and Drew Smith, Joely Rodríguez, Seth Lugo and Edwin Díaz finished in relief.

The Astros chased Nola with consecutive singles by Chas McCormick, Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña that loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth.

José Alvarado hit Yordan Alvarez on the right hip with his first pitch to force in a run and got ahead 0-2 on Alex Bregman before he lined a 100.7 mph fastball into the right-field corner for a 3-0 lead.

Kyle Tucker followed with a sacrifice fly and Yuli Gurriel added a run-scoring single.