The 1993 Houston Astros season was the 32nd season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their 29th as the Astros, 32nd in the National League (NL), 25th in the NL West division, and 29th at The Astrodome, The Astros entered the season as having finished in fourth place in the NL West with an 81–81 record, 17 games behind the two-time defending division-champion and NL pennant-winning Atlanta Braves.
On April 5, pitcher Doug Drabek made his first Opening Day start for the Astros, who hosted the Philadelphia Phillies but were defeated, 3–1. The Astros' first-round draft pick in the amateur draft was pitcher Billy Wagner, at 12th overall.
Right-hander Darryl Kile represented the Astros at the MLB All-Star Game, his first career selection. On September 8, Kile tossed the ninth no-hitter in club history in a 7–1 triumph over the New York Mets. This was just the 14th non-shutout complete game no-hitter in the major leagues.
The Astros concluded the season with an 85–77 record, an improvement of six games from the season prior, in third place and 19 games behind first-place Atlanta, who repeated as division champions for a third consecutive season. They hosted above 2 million fans in attendance at the Astrodome for the first time since 1980 (2.084,618). This season was the start of the longest period of consistency of winning seasons for Houston, doing so in 14 of a span of 16 seasons through 2008, while claiming a playoff berth six times. It was also the start of an unprecedented seven consecutive winning seasons for the Astros, through the 1999 season.
This was the final of five seasons with Art Howe as manager, among other significant changes. It was also the final season that the Astros wore their "tequila sunrise" rainbow uniforms. As part of the league's playoff expansion by re-introducing the Division Series, it was the final time the Astros occupied the NL West division and would move to the newly-commissioned NL Central the following season.
Offseason October 5, 1992: Denny Walling was released by the Astros. November 17, 1992: Butch Henry was drafted by the Colorado Rockies from the Houston Astros as the 36th pick in the 1992 MLB expansion draft. December 1, 1992: Doug Drabek was signed as a free agent by the Astros. December 4, 1992: Greg Swindell was signed as a free agent by the Astros. January 5, 1993: Jack Daugherty was signed as a free agent by the Astros. January 27, 1993: Signed right-handed pitcher Manuel Barrios as an international free agent. February 1, 1993: Jim Lindeman signed as a free agent by the Astros.
Regular season Summary April—May + Opening Day starting lineup Player Position 7 Craig Biggio Second baseman 12 Steve Finley Center fielder 5 Jeff Bagwell First baseman 24 Eric Anthony Right fielder 11 Ken Caminiti Third baseman 26 Luis Gonzalez Left fielder 17 Andújar Cedeño Shortstop 6 Eddie Taubensee Catcher 15 Doug Drabek Pitcher Venue: Astrodome • Final: Philadelphia 3, Houston 1 Sources:
For Opening Day, April 5, the Astros hosted the Philadelphia Phillies. Right-hander Doug Drabek made his first Opening Day start on the mound for Houston, while Philadelphia countered with southpaw Terry Mulholland. Drabek and Mulholland fabricated a pitchers' duel; however, Mulholland distinguished himself as the winner in a 3–1 Phillies' triumph. He surrendered just an unearned run in a four-hit complete game effort, while Drabek tossed eight frames, charged with two of the runs.
Astros starter Doug Drabek crushed the game-winning home run off reliever Pedro Martínez on May 16, a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. He helped himself to his fourth win of the season as Houston prevailed over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Drabek stuck out nine and allowed both runs as earned on the way to tossing solid innings.
For the month of May, Bagwell agglomerated a .412 batting average / .467 on-base percentage (OBP) / .676 slugging percentage (SLG) / 1.143 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). Over 27 games, he totaled 42 hits, 22 runs, 6 doubles, 7 home runs, 25 RBI and 69 total bases. Thus, he received NL Player of the Month honors, his first such honor. Bagwell succeeded Kevin Bass during June 1986 as the most recent Astro to win the award.
June In the Astros' first-ever road trip to face the Colorado Rockies on June 12, they took a 7–0 lead only to wind up losing the game, 14–11.
On June 22, Jeff Bagwell homered, doubled, and singled, driving in two runs in a 5–1 victory over Los Angeles. He also scored twice, including stealing home. Meanwhile, each run the Astros scored was unearned.
For the month of June, right-hander Darryl Kile posted a 5–0 win–loss record (W–L), 1.15 earned run average (ERA), one complete game and 23 strikeouts. Kile won all five appearances (including four starts), surrendered 26 hits and 1.1.194 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). Hence, Kile was named NL Pitcher of the Month for the first time. Kile became the first Astro so recognized since Danny Darwin in July 1990.
July Pitcher Darryl Kile tossed his first career shutout and belted his first home run on July 3, to lead the win over the St. Louis Cardinals and run his record to 9–1. By games' end, he had added to a scoreless innings streak.
On July 10, the Astros approached history just a single away—both on pitching and offense. During the opening contest of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field, Pete Harnisch (8–6) delivered a no-hitter through innings, while Luis Gonzalez came just a single short of hitting for the cycle. Harnisch discharged his first career one-hitter during a 4–0 victory over the Chicago Cubs. With 10 strikeouts and just three walks issued, this effort earned Harnisch a game score of 92. Harnisch's no-hit bid lasted until Mark Grace lined a single to center field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Meanwhile, Gonzalez, batting second, lined a double off Mike Harkey to right field to bring home Craig Biggio, who had led the contest off with a single. However, Sammy Sosa gunned down Gonzalez attempting to take third base. In the top of the third frame, Biggio was again aboard for Gonzalez, who hit a fly ball off Harkey to left field for a triple and drive in Biggio. In the top of the sixth, Biggio doubled to set the table for Gonzalez a third time, who homered off Harkey. In the top of the eighth, Shawn Boskie issued a walk to Gonzalez during his final opportunity to obtain the single. This was Gonzalez' fourth career 4-RBI effort.
During the July 10 night cap, Gonzalez drilled a José Guzmán offering to deep right in the top of the first to score Kevin Bass. Gonzalez was later issued two intentional base on balls, his first time receiving two or more during one game. Following Gonzalez' first-inning shot, the Astros maintained the extra-base hit momentum with six doubles and a triple by Biggio. Bass and Bagwell doubled twice to lead Houston to a twinbill sweep, 5–2.
Darryl Kile was selected to represented the Astros at the MLB All-Star Game for the first time, hosted in Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Kile did not appear in the game. The American League defeated the National League, 9–3.
August On August 31, Bagwell collected his sixth career four-hit game and his first with at least two stolen bases. Every Astros starter had at least one hit while the team piled on 18 and pasted the New York Mets, 10–2. Craig Biggio went deep and doubled twice, and Eddie Taubensee also homered. Harnisch (12–8) allowed three hits and two runs over seven frames.
Darryl Kile's no-hitter Opposite the 39-year-old Frank Tanana, the 24-year-old Kile no-hit the New York Mets on September 8, leading a 7–1 Astros win. Third baseman Ken Caminiti hit his 12th home run in the bottom of the second inning. In the bottom of the fifth, shorstop Andújar Cedeño also hit a blast off Tanana for his seventh of the season. The ninth no-hitter in franchise history, this was Houston's sixth—and the final no-hitter ever—thrown at the Astrodome.
In addition to providing the offense, Houston's left side of the infield contributed two spectacular defensive gems in the seventh inning. First, Caminiti dove to his left to snag a bullet off the bat of Mets first baseman Eddie Murray. In the next at bat, Cedeño's leaping dive—a game-saver like Caminiti's—deep into the hole to trap a shot from Joe Orsulak was equally astonishing. Cedeño's singular twirl-and-heave to Jeff Bagwell at first base nipped Orsulak prior to touching the bag.
Kile polished off the contest by whiffing pinch hitters Tito Navarro and Chico Walker consecutively. Kile improved to 15–6, while walking just one batter. His outing required just 83 pitches—getting 9 strikeouts.—and Kile retired each of the final 17 batters consecutively.
So rare in the manner this no-hitter was executed, that Kile became just 14th major league hurler to achieve a complete game no-hitter without the benefit of a shutout. The most recent had been by Joe Cowley for the Chicago White Sox in a 7–1 win over the California Angels on September 19, 1986, while Ervin Santana pitched the next for the Los Angleles Angels to lead a 3–1 triumph over the Cleveland Indians. Moreover, this was the third non-shutout, complete game no-hitter by the Houston Colt .45s/Astros franchise, a major league record. The first two no-hitters in franchise history were non-shutout complete games, spun by Don Nottebart on May 17, 1963, and by Ken Johnson on April 23, 1964.
Following his no-hit effort, Kile was recognized as the NL Player of the Week for September 12. Kile's masterpiece succeeded Mike Scott's no-hit effort on September 25, 1986 (which succeeded Cowley's), as the previous by an Astro, and was succeeded by a six-man effort on June 11, 2003, composed of Roy Oswalt, Pete Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner.
Rest of September Pete Harnisch fired a one-hitter of the San Diego Padres on September 17 to lead a 3–0 Astros win. The lone hit for the Padres arrived via a bunt single by Jarvis Brown. However, controversy ensued as to whether the play should have been officially scored as an error charged to Chris Donnels. Donnels, meanwhile, atoned for the blemish with a two-run double to provide the offensive support. This was Harnisch's second one-hit shutout of the campaign and second of his career.
Performance overview and aftermath The Astros concluded the 1993 interval with a final record of 85–77, in third place, and 19 games trailing the first-place Atlanta Braves. The seventh time in club history that Houston had won at least 85 games, it was 13th time finishing the complete season in third place or higher. With an improvement by 4 wins, this was the second consecutive year that the Astros produced a record of .500 or better, and would continue to do so 15 times over a span of 17 seasons through 2008 to produce an era by far with the most consistency through that point in franchise history. Additionally, this Astros squad embarked on seven successive campaigns each with both a winning record and finish no lower than third place through 1999, both achievements ultimately arranging club records. The Astros hosted over 2 million fans in attendance for the first time since 1980 (2.084,618), the third time in team history drawing 2 million or more (1965), and third-highest overall to date.
Moreover, the 85 victories represented the most Astros had won during a non-playoff qualifying campaign since they collected 89 wins in 1979, and most overall since winning 96 during their NL West division title drive in 1986. With a run differential of +86, the Astros' Pythagorean expectation computed to a record of .