1983 Houston Astros season

April

Reprising Opening Day just two seasons prior,^[6] the Astros hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers,^[7] as Houston featured right-hander Joe Niekro to oppose southpaw Fernando Valenzuela.^[6] In a reversal of a 2–0 pitchers' duel that had transpired during the first iteration, neither starter fared well, yielding six runs while lasting a maximum of three innings each. While the Dodgers successfully implemented damage control, the Astros could not, as Los Angeles piled on 15 hits to fuel a 16–7 rout. Leading the way was Pedro Guerrero, who cranked a home run among three hits and six runs batted in (RBI), while finishing a double away from hitting for the cycle.^[8] The 16 runs surrendered on Opening Day was the season-most for runs allowed for the Astros. It also oriented their longest losing streak of the season, at nine games.^[9]

On April 17, Nolan Ryan struck out Andre Dawson for the 3500th strikeout in his career.^[10]

Nolan Ryan's career record-breaking strikeout

On April 27, Ryan struck out Brad Mills^{[Note 1]} of the Expos to break Walter Johnson's all time mark for strikeouts in a career. Mills was the 3,509th strikeout of Ryan's career.^[10] Ryan totaled five whiffs on the day. Phil Garner and Dickie Thon each delivered two runs batted in (RBI) in a 4–2 Astros' victory, and moved the club 1⁄2 game up from last place in the NL West. Omar Moreno led off the contest with a triple. Thon then swatted sacrifice fly to score Moreno, and, in the third, an RBI single. Garner later homered in the first and singled in another runner during the third.^[11]

Ryan pitched eight innings overall. Alan Ashby served as Ryan's batterymate. Frank LaCorte closed out the ninth for the save.^[11]

May

Right-hander Mike Scott debuted for Houston on May 6, a start in which he tossed four scoreless innings but yielded five walks to the Atlanta Braves.^[12] Frank DiPino (1–1), who finished the bout by tossing five perfect innings and whiffed five, earned the victory in relief as Houston won, 6–0. DiPino also hit an RBI double during the top of sixth inning. Omar Moreno collected four hits, three RBI, and a stolen base, while Dickie Thon tallied three hits, two stolen bases, and scored twice.^[13]

June

José Cruz (left) and Dickie Thon (right) won the first Silver Slugger Awards in Astros history.

On June 4, Alan Ashby homered twice, doubled and had six runs batted in (RBI) to back Mike Scott, who earned his first win as a Houston Astro. The final score was 13–0 over the Cincinnati Reds.^[14] Scott went the distance to simultaneously to garner his first complete game and shutout as an Astro.^[12]

Nolan Ryan went the distance on June 12, differentiated as the first complete game of his career without having issued any base on balls, and collectively, the power pitcher's 167th complete game.^{[Note 2][a][15]} Ryan tossed a five-hit, 2–0 shutout masterpiece of the San Diego Padres in which he induced 11 whiffs and earned a game score of 88. Bill Doran plated Ashby with a single during the bottom of the second, and, in the third, Cruz doubled in Thon, who had two hits. Puhl also added two hits.^[16]

Shortstop Dickie Thon homered twice off Padres starter Eric Show on June 17. This generated enough offense for Ryan, as he struck out six in a 4–1 win. Ryan also ended the contest just one strikeout behind Philadelphia Phillies starter Steve Carlton for the all-time strikeout race.^[17]

July

On July 10, Cruz collected his 10th career four-hit game, slashing two doubles with two RBI. This was his first four-hit game of the season.^[18] Cruz doubled twice, scored twice, and drove in two, but the New York Mets overcame Houston, 7–5. Terry Puhl added three hits while Thon and Phil Garner each had two. Darryl Strawberry hit his ninth home run for New York.^[19]

On July 22, Cruz was 4-for-5 for his 11th career four-hit game and second of the campaign. He also scored twice.^[18] Cruz' effort led an 11–8 triumph over the Montreal Expos. Omar Moreno, Terry Puhl, and Denny Walling each drove in a pair. The Astros plated 5 in the top of the ninth to pull away for the win. Dave Smith (3–1) got the final out of the eighth to earn the victory, while Bill Dawley (8) closed out the ninth for the save.^[20]

August

Nolan Ryan hurled his ninth career complete game one-hitter on August 3, his first since August 11, 1982.^[21] Ryan issued six base on balls and earned a game score of 89. Dickie Thon tripled in Terry Puhl during the top of the first for the only run of the contest.^[22] The only blemish to subdue Ryan's bid for the no-hitter was Tim Flannery slow roller during the third frame.^[23]

On August 11, José Cruz went 2-for-4—including a triple—and produced his first game of the season with at least four RBI.^[18] Cruz cleared a bases-loaded setup during the bottom of the eighth inning with his eighth three-bagger, providing extra insurance runs to push the Astros' lead to 5–1, which remained the final score. Mike Scott (6–4) scattered five hits over seven innings to pick up the victory. Dave Smith closed out with two scoreless frames to convert the save (6).^[24]

On August 15, Cruz went 3-for-5 and launched his fifth career multi-home run game, and his sixth career with 5 RBI.^[18]

Emerging with the nightcap of doubleheader on August 23, José Cruz amassed a career-best 19-game hitting streak through September 12,^[25] which, once concluded, progressed into a career-best 29-game on-base scintilla until September 23. During the 29-game span, Cruz hit for a .364 batting average, .412 on-base percentage (OBP) and .477 slugging percentage (SLG), garnering 39 hits and 9 bases on balls (BB).^[b][26] Cruz' hitting streak was the eighth in club history to endure at minimum 19 outings, and the longest by an Astros player since Dickie Thon corralled 21 straight, July 24–August 14 during the previous campaign.^[25]

Cruz collected two safeties during that August 23 contest versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. Starter Joe Niekro induced two crucial, inning-ending ground ball double plays from Pirates first baseman Jason Thompson—during the third and fifth frames. During the top of the third, Terry Puhl doubled in Bill Doran, and Thon singled in Puhl to supply all of Houston' offense. Niekro (11–10) tossed six innings with one run allowed to earn the victory and quality start, while Bill Dawley followed with three clean innings to earn his 12th save.^[27]

September

On September 13, José Cruz received a hit by pitch for the seventh time—third as an Astro—and final time in his major league career.^[18]

Cruz collected four hits on September 16, his third four-hit contest of the campaign, and 12th of his career.^[18] He also doubled a pilfered a base. Bill Doran led the game off with a triple, while Terry Puhl and Cruz both followed with doubles to give Houston a 2–0 lead over the Cincinnati Reds. The Astros' momentum did not endure, however, as the Reds won easily, 8–3.^[28]

On September 18, Cruz posted his 14th career contest with at least three walks, otherwise going 0-for-2.^[18]

On September 20, Cruz realized his third career six-RBI game, going 2-for-3 with an intentional base on balls.^[18] With Houston up 5–0, Cruz launched his second career grand slam off Burt Hooton during the second inning,^[29] which only got things warmed up as Houston ran away with a 15–2 drubbing of the Los Angeles Dodgers.^[30] Denny Walling also had a big game, going 3-for-5 with three RBI, and doubled twice. Nolan Ryan (14–8) allowed four hits and two runs over six innings with seven strikeouts, and Jeff Heathcock closed out the last three innings for his first save.^[30] Cruz extended his own club record of remaining as the Astros' sole hitter with more than one 6 RBI game.^[c][31]

Performance overview

Houston concluded the 1983 season with an 85–77 (.525) record, in third place in the NL West divions and six games behind the division-champion Dodgers. The Astros also had the fourth-best record in the National League.^[32] For the third instance in franchise annals, the club reached the 85-win threshold (previously, the 1979 and 1980 squads), and for the fifth time, a .525 winning percentage—including the former, along with the 1972 and 1981 strike-shortened campaigns. Moreover, since 1972, this was the eighth campaign with a record at .500 or above.^[33]

Left fielder José Cruz remained in contention for the batting championship until the final day, winding up third.^[34] Cruz led the National League in hits (189),^[d] becoming the first Astro to accomplish this feat.^[35]

For the seventh time, an Astros pitcher claimed the title for hits per nine innings surrendered: Nolan Ryan at 6.143 H/9. The major league leader in this category for the third consecutive season (all as an Astro), Ryan followed Don Wilson in 1971 (6.549 H/9), and J. R. Richard (thrice—6.835 in 1976, 6.278 in 1978, and 6.773 in 1979).^[36]

Cruz and Thon both won their first career Silver Slugger Awards for their respective positions, while becoming the first Astros to receive the honor.^[37]

Moreover, Cruz won his third Houston Astros' team Most Valuable Player Award (MVP), having previously received the honor for the 1977 and 1980 campaigns. As a third-time winner, Cruz surpassed Rusty Staub for the club record, who won in 1966 and 1967.^[38]

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts