In his longest career start, both in innings pitched and pitch count, Mike Fiers threw a no-hitter against the Dodgers Friday night as the Astros won 3-0 in Houston.
We take a look at the top stats behind his feat.
How he did it
The no-hitter marked Fiers’ first career complete game. He threw 134 pitches and recorded 10 strikeouts and three walks. Entering Friday, he had pitched eight innings twice in his career, and had previously not thrown more than 113 pitches in a start.
Fiers threw 59 pitches in the upper third of the strike zone or higher, which is the most in his career. He induced 13 chases with those pitches, which tied the most in his career. With his fastball he generated 10 swings and misses, tying the second most in his career.
Fiers' 88 strikes tied Randy Johnson for the second most thrown in a no-hitter since 1990.
Just getting started in Houston
Fiers was acquired by the Astros via trade with the Brewers on July 30. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter after being traded in that season since 1973, when Jim Bibby was traded from the Cardinals to the Rangers and then threw a no-hitter.
Fiers is the fifth pitcher in the past 50 years to throw a no-hitter within his first three starts with a team. He is the first to do so since 2007, when Clay Buchholz threw a no-hitter in his second career start for the Red Sox.
Historical notes
Fiers became the second Astro to no-hit the Dodgers;
the other was Nolan Ryan on Sept. 26, 1981.
The last Astros no-hitter was a combined no-hitter at Yankee Stadium on June 11, 2003. Darryl Kile threw the last complete-game no-hitter for the Astros, against the Mets on Sept. 8, 1993.
Fiers’ no-hitter was the 11th by an Astro since the team’s first season in 1962. Only the Dodgers have more as a team (12) during that span.
Fun facts
There had been two other no-hitters on Aug. 21 in history before Fiers' no-hitter: Ted Lyons of the White Sox in 1926 and Walter Thornton of the Cubs in 1898.
Despite the common name, only three players who went by Mike or Michael had previously thrown a no-hitter in MLB history: Mike Scott for the Astros in 1986, Mike Witt for the Angels in 1984, and Mike Warren for the Athletics in 1983.
