A review of some Astros’ 2022 Crazy Stats—
1. The ‘Stros tied an MLB record with five homers in one inning (413, 411, 405, 381, 360 feet). This at Fenway; three of them over the green monster. Five has happened eight times in MLB history, so it is statistically surprising that no team has ever hit six or more.
2. First team to pitch two “immaculate innings” in one game; and to the same three batters! This seems unbelievable, and will likely never happen again. Only 107 immaculate innings in MLB history; the Astros now have nine of them.
3. First team to no-hit (a combined no-hitter) the Yankees in new Yankee Stadium, and the only team since 1958. Astros also no-hit the Yankees in 2003 at Old Yankee Stadium, with 6 pitchers.
4. Struck out 20 batters in a 9 inning game versus the Angels, tying an MLB record.
5. Framber Valdez sets a single season MLB record of 25 quality starts in a row.
6. A World Series combined no-hitter; the first WS no-hitter since Don Larsen’s 1956 perfect game. And only the 3rd no-hitter in postseason history. Like their earlier no-hitter this year, Cristian Javier was the starting pitcher. I think the Astros are the first team to ever have two combined no-hitters in a single season.
7. Jeremy Pena (Carlos Correa’s replacement), is the first rookie SS in history to win the Gold Glove. And then he tops it off by being the ALCS and World Series MVP. I might have preferred Framber Valdez getting the WS MVP—he won crucial Game 2, after the Astros lost Game 1 in 10 innings, and then closed out the Series in Game 6. He allowed only 2 runs in 12.1 innings.
8. Verlander will win his 3rd Cy Young after being out 2 seasons with Tommy John. He also won the Cy Young in 2019 with the Astros. And he finally won his first WS game (Game 5), though it was a struggle.
9. “Trust in Dust” finally won his first World Series as a manager. I think he won as a player in 1981.
Thankful that they won the Series, or all this would feel a bit hollow.