1976 – Larry Dierker tosses the fifth no-hitter in franchise history, a 6-0 gem over Montreal . He supports his own cause with a sacrifice fly while batterymate Ed Herrmann drives in two, one on his first National League homer . Dierker fans Pepe Mangual and Jim Lyttle before Mike Jorgensen taps out to first for the final out.
1976 – With the overall first pick in the baseball draft, Houston chooses lefthanded pitcher Floyd Bannister of Arizona State University. Rushed to the majors the next year, Bannister is 11-18 in two seasons with the Astros. On the field, Larry Dierker blanks St. Louis on a five-hitter, 2-0.
1975 – Cliff Johnson hits a homer in his fifth straight game as Houston topples the Cubs, 8-4 . Jose Cruz goes deep twice and Bob Watson also plays long ball. Wilbur Howard adds four hits and swipes two bases. Larry Dierker sails to his 12th win.
1974 – Lee May hits the first “foamer” in team history, a promotion where Dome patrons get free beer for the rest of the night if an Astro belts one out on an even-numbered minute. May hits a second shot for good measure and Larry Dierker tosses a three-hitter in a 4-0 whitewash of the Expos.
1971 – In the opener of a doubleheader in San Diego, Al Santorini starts against an Astro lineup stacked with seven lefty hitters. Santorini gets the first out and is yanked for lefty Dave Roberts. Houston wins, 2-1, behind Wade Blasingame. Santorini returns to start the nightcap, tossing six innings, but Larry Dierker bests him in an 8-0 one-hitter. The lone Padre hit was a broken-bat single by Ollie Brown in the seventh.
1970 – Disgruntled first baseman Joe Pepitone, who suddenly “retired” rather than play in Houston, is sold to the Cubs. He had belted 14 home runs during his four months in Texas. Bob Watson takes over at first as Larry Dierker is roughed up during a 9-2 loss at Wrigley Field.
1970- Astros blast five home runs to trounce Phil Niekro and the Braves, 8-3 . Jim Wynn has the most memorable shot, a rocket that doesn’t come to rest until it finds the gold (upper reserved) seats in the third inning (section 738C, row 6, seat 3) . That bested his blast into the purple seats in the first. Tommy Davis, Joe Pepitone and Doug Rader go yard as well, making an easy night for starter Larry Dierker.
1969 – Denis Menke belts a two-run blast in the ninth off Gaylord Perry for a 2-0 shocker over the Giants. Larry Dierker scatters four hits for his 18th win and fans nine to pass 200 strikeouts for the season.
1969 – Denis Menke and Jim Wynn launch grand slams in the same inning as the Astros crush the Mets, 16-3 and 11-5 in a twinbill at Shea Stadium . The double slam was the first National League occurance in 79 years. So hot were Houston’s bats that Larry Dierker took Nolan Ryan deep in the nightcap and Fred Gladding broke an oh-for-the-decade slump with a bloop single for the only hit in his career.
Willie McCovey hits two home runs as the National League beats the American League, 9 – 3, for its 7th straight All-Star Game win, with McCovey named All-Star MVP. Mel Stottlemyre starts for the AL when Denny McLainis late arriving from a dental appointment. An interesting sidelight is provided by Roberto Clemente’s sole turn at bat. He strikes out at the hands of “Sudden” Sam McDowell but, on the way there, one swing of the bat will furnish Larry Dierker’s most vivid memory from the game: “With all of the long balls, the one I remember most was hit by Roberto Clemente. The Great One hit it all the way into the upper deck, but it was foul. I had seen balls hit farther, but I had never seen a ball hit that far to the opposite field!”
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