Astros no-hitter: Houston reliever Ryan Pressley blows no-hitter in the ninth to Athletics' Ryan Noda

Hunter Brown went five innings before handing the game over to the relievers

The Houston Astros came two outs away from recording the fifth no-hitter of Major League Baseball's season on Wednesday night against the Oakland Athletics.

Five Astros pitchers -- starter Hunter Brown and relievers Rafael Montero, Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu, and Ryan Pressly -- combined for 8 1/3 hitless innings. Oakland first baseman Ryan Noda then rapped a single back up the middle to break up the bid with one out in the top of the ninth.

The Astros later surrendered a pair of runs, dashing their shutout efforts. Nevertheless, the Astros won by a 6-2 final. Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman, and Kyle Tucker each homered and combined for five of Houston's six runs.

Here are three things to know about Houston's flirtation with history.

1. Would've been Astros' second no-no of season

We mentioned in the introduction that there've been four no-hitters thrown by MLB pitchers this season. Those were by Yankees' right-hander Domingo Germán; a combined effort by three Tigers pitchers; Phillies right-hander Michael Lorenzen; and Astros left-hander Framber Valdez.

Valdez's no-hitter came against the Guardians on Aug. 1. Oddly enough, all of MLB's no-nos this season have occurred within a confined period of time: between June 28 and Aug. 9.  

2. Astros have been recent kings of no-hitter

Valdez's aforementioned no-no represented the 16th no-hitter in franchise history. Houston has done well to pad that number in recent years.

Indeed, the Astros are responsible for three of the last six no-hitters in the majors, including Valdez's and two combined efforts -- one against the Yankees last June, the other against the Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series.

Here are the most no-hitters thrown by a team in a two-season span, according to CBS Sports HQ's research staff:

• 2022-23 Houston Astros 3
• 2014-15 Washington Nationals 3
• 1973-74 California Angels 3
• 1971-72 Chicago Cubs 3
• 1960-61 Milwaukee Braves 3
• 1916-17 Boston Red Sox 3
• 1904-05 Boston Americans 3

Four no-hitters over a two-season span would've represented a new MLB record. Additionally, this would've been the first time a team had multiple regular-season no-hitters in a single year since -- guess who -- the 2019 Astros.

3. A's avoid one indignity, not another

The A's might've recorded a hit on Wednesday night, but it didn't prevent them from losing their 100th game of the season. The A's lost 102 games last season, making this the first time since the 1964-65 Kansas City Athletics that the franchise has suffered 100-plus losses in consecutive years. 

[Sep 13, 2023 at 9:45 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Noda breaks up the no-no

With a single back up the middle.

[Sep 13, 2023 at 9:44 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Gelof walks

He did not -- a breaking ball that stayed too high grants him first base.

[Sep 13, 2023 at 9:43 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Gelof works a 3-1 count

We'll see if he gets something to hit here.

[Sep 13, 2023 at 9:42 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Kemp grounds out

Astros are two outs away.

[Sep 13, 2023 at 9:42 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Ryan Pressly is on for the Astros

Neither here nor there, but his "God`s Gonna Cut You Down" entrance is stellar.

[Sep 13, 2023 at 9:41 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Most recent Athletics no-no

Hey, wouldn't you know it. That also came earlier this year. Yankees righty Domingo Germán threw a perfect game against them on June 28.

[Sep 13, 2023 at 9:40 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Most recent Astros no-no

Came earlier this year, on Aug. 1, when Framber Valdez blanked the Guardians.

[Sep 13, 2023 at 9:39 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Athletics due up in the ninth

Barring a pinch-hitter, you'll see the top of the lineup: Tony Kemp, Zack Gelof, and Ryan Noda.