The 1984 Houston Astros season was the 23rd season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their 20th as the Astros, 23rd in the National League (NL), 16th in the NL West, and 20th at The Astrodome. The Astros entered the season having posted an 85âÂÂ77 record, in third place and 6 games behind the division-champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
On April 3, Joe Niekro made his third Opening Day start for Houston, who hosted the Montreal Expos but lost, 4âÂÂ2. During the amateur draft, the Astros' first round selection was pitcher Don August, and third round selection was third baseman Ken Caminiti.
Outfielder Jerry Mumphrey was selected to represent the Astros in the MLB All-Star Game and play for the National League, his lone career selection.
The Astros concluded the season with an 80âÂÂ82 record, tied for second place with the Atlanta Braves and 12 games behind the division-champion and NL pennant-winning San Diego Padres. Following the season, outfielder José Cruz won his second career Silver Slugger Award. Fellow outfielder Terry Puhl was recognized with the Tip O'Neill Award.
The Astros lost to the Montreal Expos, 4âÂÂ2, on Opening Day. Charlie Lea outdueled Joe Niekro over seven frames each. During the top of the eighth, Andre Dawson tripled in Tim Raines. Later in the inning, Miguel Diloné scored Gary Carter for a 4âÂÂ1 Expos lead.
On the Sunday evening of April 8 at the Astrodome, shortstop Dickie Thon was struck near the left eye by a rising fastball from pitcher Mike Torrez, an incident that changed the course of Thon's career. Craig Reynolds pinch ran for Thon, and though the Astros subsequently loaded the bases, Jerry Mumphrey popped out to extinguish the threat. The New York Mets won the contest, 3âÂÂ1, which clinched a series sweep for New York, their first at the Astrodome since 1966. X-rays revealed a fractured orbital bone and Thon missed the rest of the season due to the injury.
With 39,924 fans in attendance at Shea Stadium on May 6, the second-largest of the season thus far had presented to witness the marquee duel between nineteen-year-old phenom Dwight "Doc" Gooden, and 37-year old Nolan Ryan. In the first inning, Ryan allowed one run on two hits, but then became unstoppable, polishing off the final eight innings yielding just four singles and two walks, while fanning seven. Meanwhile, Gooden started with two scoreless innings, but the Astros pummeled him in the third inning for eight runs on six hits. Ryan chipped in the offensive surge, executing a bunt single over Gooden's head that drove in a run. The Astros defeated the Mets for the second straight contest, 10âÂÂ1, as Ryan went the distance. Ryan also lined a double to left in the sixth inning and later scored the Astros' ninth run.
On May 22, a pre-game incident took place during warmups when St. Louis Cardinals mascot Fredbird tackled Astros first baseman Enos Cabell, which exacerbated his knee injury. The two clubs exchanged words, but the Astros ultimately walked the game off in the 12th inning.
Riding a five-hit shutout on May 26, Nolan Ryan fanned nine to regain the all-time strikeout lead from Steve Carlton, 3,758 to 3,757. Ryan (6âÂÂ2) also won his fifth straight decision while having aggregated a scoreless innings streak of 27 as the Astros defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2âÂÂ0. In the Astros' fifth inning, Bill Doran stroked a tripled to the right field corner off starter José DeLeón (2âÂÂ2). With one out, Terry Puhl doubled, scoring Doran, and Craig Reynolds followed with single to right, which scored Puhl. The most recent date that Ryan had led Carlton was on July 26, 1983 (3,591âÂÂ3,588).
Ryan was named NL Player of the Week for May 27. Over two outingsâÂÂone each against St. Louis (May 21) and PittsburghâÂÂRyan launched 14 shutout innings with 16 strikeouts. He issued just four walks and surrendered seven hits.
Ryan accreted a string of scoreless frames, which represented the best such work during his Astros tenure.
Moreover, Ryan assembled just the fifth calendar month in the Major Leagues since 1913 having surrendered just one earned run over 45 or greater innings pitched, which, at the time, equaled a Major League league record.
Following this superb performance, Nolan Ryan was commended as the NL Pitcher of the Month. Nolan Ryan went 5âÂÂ0 WâÂÂL over 6 starts, with a 0.20 earned run average (ERA), over innings pitched. He surrendered three runs total, 26 hits, and 16 walks, while whiffing 50 batters. Ryan amassed three complete games with two shutouts. Ryan also had been Houston's most recent recipient of the Pitcher of the Month accolade, recognized in August 1982.
During the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 1, Mike Scioscia singled in two runs off Nolan Ryan to halt his scoreless streak. Ryan lasted four innings with five hits and the two runs surrendered this time as the Dodgers eventually won, 6âÂÂ2.
For the week of June 25âÂÂJuly 1, José Cruz was named NL Player of the Week, during which he batted .500 (18-for-36), 10 runs scored, 8 runs batted in (RBI) and a stolen base over 8 contests. Five of the games featured three hits, and during the final game that week, July 1, Cruz went 4-for-6, capping an 11-for-19 output over a four-game set versus the Philadelphia Phillies.
José Cruz slugged his 100th home run as a member of the Astros on July 6, off Steve Rogers of the Montreal Expos. It was Cruz' 126th career blast overall. The first run to break a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth, the Astros went on to score 8, winning by 6. Joe Niekro (9âÂÂ7) went the distance, allowing two runs, and produced a game score of 71.
On July 24, Cabell, Phil Garner, and Cruz each went deep back-to-back-to-back off San Francisco Giants starter Mark Davis to cap a nine-run explosion during the fifth inning. This was the first-ever instance where three Astros hitters homered consecutively. Cruz burnished an exclamation point with another blast off Bob Lacey in the seventh. Garner also doubled during the Astros' 10âÂÂ3 thrashing. Nolan Ryan (8âÂÂ6) tossed seven solid frames to earn the quality start and win.
Cruz continued his excellent offensive performance throughout the month of July, and was rewarded as NL Player of the Month. He torched National League pitching for 47 hits, 11 doubles and 22 runs scored for a slash line of .443 / .516 / .632 / 1.148. The first 25 games featured all 47 hits, during which he hit .495, prior to ending the final four games in an 0-for-14 slump.
At Wrigley Field on August 22, José Cruz ripped his third career grand slam in the second inning during which Houston exploded for seven total, on the way to a rout of the Chicago Cubs, 8âÂÂ3. Earlier in the second inning, Garner had blasted his fourth home run, and also worked two bases on balls during the contest. Craig Reynolds added two hits. Nolan Ryan (11âÂÂ7) went the distance, surrendering seven hits and two walks while two of the three runs were earned, and tallied 12 punchouts. The victory evened the Astros' record at 64âÂÂ64.
On September 6, Glenn Davis swatted his first major league home run, launching an offering from Scott Garrelts in the seventh inning at Candlestick Park. This was a solo shot with Houston ahead, 13âÂÂ1.
Hosting the San Diego Padres on September 16, switch-hitting catcher Mark Bailey became the 13th National LeaguerâÂÂon the 19th occasionâÂÂand second Houston Astro to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game. Every score counted as the Astros triumphed in a 10âÂÂ9 thriller. Bailey connected in the bottom of the second off Mark Thurmond (right side), and in the bottom of the sixth off Luis DeLeón (left). Going into the bottom of the eighth, San Diego led, 9âÂÂ8. With Glenn Davis at bat and the bases loaded, Rich Gossage uncorked a wild pitch, on which Bill Doran raced home. Next, Davis stroked the game-winning sacrifice fly to plate Kevin Bass. Dave Smith (4âÂÂ3) then hurled a clean ninth to pick up the victory.
The Astros concluded the season with an 80âÂÂ82 record, tied with the Atlanta Braves for second place in the NL West and 12 games behind the division-champion and NL pennant-winning Padres. It was the 10th season since 1969 that the Astros won at least 80 games, and 11th in which they finished two games or fewer below the .500 line.
As a team, the Astros swatted 67 triples, tying the club record set in 1980. It was the third season within the last four in which they had hit at least 60.
Outfielder José Cruz batted .312 and drove in a career-high 95 runs batted in (RBI). He won his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award to become the first Astro to win more than once.
Terry Puhl, a native of Saskatchewan, was recognized with the inaugural edition of the Tip O'Neill Award, voted to single out the year's best Canadian player in baseball.
Cruz was also honored with an unprecedented fourth Houston Astros' team Most Valuable Player Award (MVP), extending his club record after having won for each of the 1977, 1980, and 1983 campaigns. Cruz also joined Rusty Staub, the previous record-holder, to win in successive campaigns (1966 and 1967).
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts