Good morning. Framber threw a no-hitter and the Astros beat Cleveland 2-0. Houston is 61-47, a season-high 14 games over .500.
*It was the 16th no-hitter in franchise history, and the first by a lefty pitcher. Framber:
The last couple of games I just wasn't as focused as I could have been and I'll be the first to admit that. But today I just came very focused, very positive and just ready to leave it all out on the field.
Maldonado:
I noticed from the bullpen, he wasn't joking around. He was straight business from the moment he walked out there.
Framber's three previous starts: 15IP, 21H/15ER, 18K:6BB, 4HR allowed.
He had a different sort of focus and demeanor and presence the whole time - from warmup to in the dugout in between innings to on the mound in the game.
Framber's pitches by inning:
1st: 10
2nd: 12
3rd: 14
4th: 11
5th: 13
6th: 6
7th: 5
8th: 10
9th: 12
The 93 pitches are the 3rd-fewest in a no-hitter since they started keeping track of that in 1988, behind Darryl Kile's 83 (!) pitches for the Astros on September 8, 1993 and David Cone's perfect game in 1999. Check here for other facts & figures from last night's game.
*It was the first time the Astros shut out their opponent since a 14-0 win over St. Louis, and the first time they've shut out an opponent at Minute Maid Park since a 2-0 win over Oakland on May 21 (coincidentally that was Framber's first CGSHO of the season).
*Houston is 12-3 in their last 15 games decided by one or two runs.
*Framber's only blemish of the night was a leadoff walk in the 5th inning of DH Oscar Gonzalez - he got a double play to end the inning, meaning that he faced the minimum 27 batters.
*65 of Framber's 93 pitches were for strikes.
*Kyle Tucker drove in both of the Astros' runs, giving him 5RBI in his last three games. He has struck out just twice in his last 39 Plate Appearances.
*Every no-hitter in Astros history.
*Chandler Rome wrote about Jim Crane's commitment to winning.
*I wrote up some thoughts about the Verlander trade.
*GQ: How one man stole $2 billion in art.
*What makes the Allsup's burrito so legendary?
*A Musical Selection:
