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By Sonny Jones

Three years ago you could have watched Cristian Javier pitch for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. Bryan Abreu as well.

Wednesday night, in Philadelphia, the pair were part of World Series history.

Javier was the star, striking out nine in six innings as the starting pitcher. Abreu struck out the side in order in the seventh. They joined Rafael Montero, who pitched the eighth, and Ryan Pressly, who pitched the ninth, on a no-hitter as the Houston Astros beat the Phillies 5-0 to even the World Series at two games apiece.

“It’s funny, my parents told me I was going to throw a no-hitter,” Javier said through an interpreter, “and thanks to God, I was able to accomplish that.”

It was the first combined no-hitter in World Series history. The only other no-hitter came in 1956 by Don Larsen.

Javier began the 2019 season in Fayetteville. He was 2-0 with a 0.94 ERA in seven games and five starts. He struck out an amazing 40 in only 28.2 innings. He was 6-3 with a 2.07 ERA in 17 appearances at Double-A Corpus Christi and made two appearances for Triple-A Round Rock.

Javier was on Houston’s major league roster to begin the 2020 season and has become a mainstay in its starting rotation. He’s been unhittable in this year’s playoffs.

Abreau was 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA in three starts with the Woodpeckers in 2019. He soon was promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi where he went 6-2 with a 5.05 ERA and made seven appearances out of the Houston bullpen late in the 2019 season.

• What is it with 5s and the Astros in this World Series.

Houston jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings in Game 1 and lost 6-5 in 10 innings.

Again, Houston led 5-0 in Game 2, this time after five innings, and won 5-2.

Philadelphia hit five home runs off Houston pitching in Game 3 as the Phillies won 7-0.

In Game 4, Houston scored its five runs in the fifth inning in a 5-0 victory.

What will happen in tonight’s Game 5?

• I admit it. I went to bed after the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game. Didn’t even think about a no-hitter being pitched. Houston was in control and I was tired. Old age, I suppose.

THURSDAY’S PICK TO CLICK

No way Justin Verlander is getting hammered like he did in Game 1 of the World Series. The future Hall of Fame pitcher will give the Astros 6 solid innings of 1-run pitching.

WEDNESDAY’S PICK: Aaron Nola to rebound from a pair of poor postseason starts to give Philadelphia a solid 6-inning, 2-run outing against Houston in Game 4 of the World Series. RESULTS: Nola gave up 3 runs on 7 hits in pitching into the 5th inning. He left with the bases loaded in a scoreless game, but all three runners he was responsible for scored.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

• 1995 — The Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies open their first NBA season with victories. The Raptors beat New Jersey 94-79 and the Grizzlies beat Portland 92-80.

POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY

• DP WORLD TOUR: Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, 7 a.m., GOLF

• PGA: World Wide Technology Championship, 3 p.m., GOLF

• WOMEN’S SOCCER: Duke vs. North Carolina, 5:30 p.m., ACCN

• NHL: Carolina at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m., BALLY SOUTH

• FOOTBALL: Texas-El Paso at Rice, 7 p.m., CBSSN

• FOOTBALL: Appalachian State at Coastal Carolina, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

• FOOTBALL: Alabama A&M at Mississippi Valley State, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU

• WORLD SERIES: Houston at Philadelphia, 8 p.m., FOX

• NBA: Denver at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m., NBATV

• FOOTBALL: Jenks (Okla.) High at Bixby (Okla.) High, 8 p.m., ESPN2

• NFL: Philadelphia at Houston, 8:15 p.m., PRIME VIDEO