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Three Strikes, You’re Out!: How Astros Pitching Made History in June

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After making their way to the World Series last season, the Houston Astros are already off to an impressive start this season. They currently have a healthy lead and hold the first place spot in the AL West division. This is significantly due to impressive starting and relief pitching.

Astros vs. Rangers: June 15th, 2022

During an away game against state rivals the Texas Rangers, starting pitcher for the Astros Luis Garcia was off to a great start with his team leading 6-1 in the first inning. The real excitement though, came in the second inning when Garcia flawlessly struck out all three batters he faced in exactly nine pitches, all of which were strikes. By throwing the minimum nine strikes to record all three outs, he completed a phenomenon more rare than a no-hitter: an immaculate inning.

Starting Pitcher Luis Garcia threw nine pitches for strikes to strikeout Rangers hitters Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Duran and Brad Miller in order.

To put things into perspective, while the last time the Astros franchise recorded such feat was only in 2019, before that it had been fifteen years since any Astros pitcher had an immaculate inning. So imagine baseball fans’ shock when just five innings later, the team achieved something never done before.

When Garcia’s night was done, bullpen pitcher Phil Maton came in to pitch one inning, the seventh inning. Just when you thought something so rare couldn’t possibly occur twice in one game, he proved otherwise. Once again, in another phenomenal outing, an Astros pitcher struck out each three hitters in a total of nine strikes, imprinting yet another immaculate inning into Astros history. To make matters more spectacular, it was the same three hitters Garcia had pitched his immaculate inning against earlier that same day.

This video shows both immaculate innings side by side.

Not only did baseball fans in attendance and those watching at home witness Astros history, but Major League Baseball history. This was the first time two pitchers had ever recorded two immaculate innings in the same game, much less two pitchers on one team against the same three batters.

Astros pitchers Phil Maton and Luis Garcia pose for a postgame picture with catcher Martín Maldonado, who caught both pitcher’s immaculate innings.

Following the game, when asked about his performance, Garcia told reporters “It feels so good, because it’s history…I’m so happy for me and for Phil.” After completing the second immaculate inning of the day Maton commented: “It’s super cool…It’s not something you go out here every day and obviously strive to do. Obviously, you’re trying to strike out every hitter you face. Still kind of trying to wrap my head around it. Cool experience.”

Relief pitcher Phil Maton cracked a smile as he accepted high-fives from his teammates after pitching the second immaculate inning of the day, to the same three hitters.

Here are some remarkable statistics that show just how rare immaculate innings are:

Though immaculate innings are more rare than no-hitters, we can now add both to the list of accomplishments by the Astros pitching staff this season in the month of June.

Astros vs. Yankees: June 25th, 2022

Just ten days later, in Yankees Stadium, the Astros pitching staff pitched a combined no-hitter against one of the hottest teams in baseball so far this season. Previously a bullpen pitcher, Cristian Javier now acting as a pitcher in the Astros’ starting rotation dominated through seven innings of work with a career-high 13 strikeouts. In his postgame interview, through an interpreter, the Dominican pitcher stated “I feel really happy, really proud right now for this moment that God has given me.”

Starting pitcher Cristian Javier threw a career-high 115 pitches and 13 strikeouts in seven innings in the Astros’ combined no-hitter.

Following Javier, in a tough outing that included two walks, bullpen pitcher Hector Neris worked through some traffic on the bases to record a clean eighth inning with two flyouts and one forceout for all three outs. The Astros were then just three outs away from a combined no-hitter.

Closing pitcher Ryan Pressly came into the ninth inning in an attempt to keep the no-hit bid alive. After he had a rough outing against this team just two days earlier, resulting in an Astros loss, the pressure was on. This time though, Pressly recorded all three outs without allowing a hit, securing the 3-0 win for the Astros and completing the combined no-hitter. It’s no secret that the New York Yankees are the Houston Astros’ biggest rivals, dating back to 2017 when the Astros beat the Yankees in the ALCS to move on to the World Series. At the completion of the game, the Astros closer told reporters “…to do it in New York, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

Ryan Pressly records the last out and completes the combined no-hitter against the Yankees.

This is the second time the Astros have no-hit the Yankees in the Yankees’ home stadium, and the first to happen in the new Yankees Stadium built in 2009. They are the only team to have no-hit the Yankees since 1958, with the first coming on June 11th, 2003. Both have been combined no hitters. This is the 14th no-hitter in team history for the Astros.

Astros pitchers pose with catcher Martín Maldonado after completing a combined no-hitter vs. the Yankees at Yankees Stadium.

There is no denying the talent of this team’s offense, but they have shown why pitchers are so important to the game of baseball. Astros catcher Martín Maldonado, who has caught two immaculate innings and a combined no-hitter all in the month of June, has played an important role on this team with his pitch calling and he has significantly contributed to the confidence and efficiency of these Astros pitchers. Maldonado told reporters “I take a lot of pride behind the plate.” On being a part of both major accomplishments this month Maldonado stated, “Every time you make history is amazing…Those are memories that are going to last [a] long [time].”


It seems like the Astros are heating up this June! This is why watching the sport of baseball is so thrilling, it’s unpredictable and you never know when you will witness history.

The Thrill of Horror

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Many people crave the rush of adrenaline that results from being scared and those who loathe all things scary can’t even begin to comprehend how this could be possible. To get into the true spirit of Halloween this October, it’s important to examine the psychological explanation as to why fear may be enjoyable, as well as recognize the recurring popular demand of the horror genre in pop culture — in other words, the thrill of horror. 

Fear is Fun? 

Though seemingly far-fetched, a wide range of individuals delight in all aspects of fear: the pounding heart, the spine-crawling chills, the tummy-turning butterflies. Christopher Dwyer from Psychology Today explains that our reaction to something scary is affected by the setting in which we are in, stating that, “…if we are in a setting where we get a “safe” fright (e.g. watching a horror film, visiting a haunted house, or playing a scary video game) our brains will quickly evaluate the situation and tell us that we’re free from risk.” We as humans have the innate ability of a “fight-or-flight” response to things that our bodies might perceive as threatening. But, encountering such a threat within familiar surroundings, such as from the comfort of our own homes beside our own family or friends, mollifies our apprehension. This then explains why one would be unperturbed by all fear factors. When we feel in control of a situation, we tend to feel less anxiety. The ultimate gratification comes from the self-satisfaction we receive from facing our fears.

Halloween is a Treat

While many associate Halloween with the idea of witches and evil ritualistic practices, a shift in perspective can make modern day Halloween hold much deeper meaning. Today we may use Halloween as a way to embrace all things scary and, for one night, tackle our fears head on. Megan McClintock of Medium, speaking on the lasting impact of this celebration, explains that “It’s about how we deal with death, and the psychology of how we process fear.” She writes, “When…we perceive ourselves as being in a safe space, we can then quickly shift the way we experience that high arousal state, going from one of fear to one of enjoyment or excitement.” The way we experience fear can be altered and can manifest into elation when we are in a controlled, safe environment.

Horror in Pop Culture 

Fear is an idea that is introduced to us from a young age. If you consider the game of “peek-a-boo”, you know that this is a light-hearted scheme with the intent to make an infant giggle from getting a quick spook. Even before we have the mental capacity to verbally communicate, we have the innate ability to respond to a shock or startle with excitement and laughter. Almost every child has been exposed to and become accustomed to fear with classic campfire scary stories. Children love stories filled with mystery and thrilling adventures, stories that they can get lost in as they explore the realm of imagination. This is why the Goosebumps book series is widely popular among the younger age group. These stories allow even adolescents to find entertainment in feeling a fright.

Horror in Literature 

The popularity of the horror genre in literature can be credited by the works of notable authors such as Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King. In many of his stories, Poe’s focus is to create a heightened level of suspense and sense of realism for his readers. Stephen King, who esteems Poe as an inspiration behind his work, emulates this same tactic. Because they are able to make their audience feel more emotionally invested in a character, the reader’s own fear is intensified. These stories invoke a type of fear that is accepted. Many long for the feeling of becoming enraptured by psychologically thrilling tales.

  • Edgar Allan Poe
    Edgar Allan Poe

Horror in Music 

Horror even creeped its way into the music industry. Donned the ‘King of Pop’, Michael Jackson became the catalyst for a newfound appreciation of horror with his frighteningly entrancing video for his hit song “Thriller”, which became a timeless, classic Halloween-time tune. Josh Jones of Open Culture weighs in on what it is that has made “Thriller” so popular, writing that it is due to “the combination of good clean fun and perfectly-pitched camp horror.” Michael Jackson claimed that growing up he actually hated horror, yet went on to prove that horror can be fun-spirited.

Horror: A True Escapism

There is something hauntingly beautiful about fear. Whether brought on by a scary movie or a wicked haunted house, horror is universally prominent. Jerry Davich from Chicago Tribune examines that attractions such as annual haunted houses are of such high demand because, “If it’s a top-notch haunted house, we’re not thinking of anything else while we’re inside…Nothing but the fear that’s oozing through our minds. This is the true beauty of haunted houses…” He describes “this type of controlled fear as sheer escapism”, because this exhilaration allows us to escape the reality of our personal lives. While not everyone can agree to the notion that there is fun in fear, many have had the pleasure of experiencing a special euphoric escapism: the thrill of horror.

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Happy Halloween!