Summary April Reprising
Opening Day just
two seasons prior, the Astros hosted the
Los Angeles Dodgers, as Houston featured right-hander
Joe Niekro to oppose
southpaw Fernando Valenzuela. 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. On April 17,
Nolan Ryan struck out
Andre Dawson for the 3500th strikeout in his career.
Nolan Ryan's career record-breaking strikeout On April 27, Ryan struck out
Brad Mills 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. Ryan pitched eight innings overall.
Alan Ashby served as Ryan's
batterymate.
Frank LaCorte closed out the ninth for the
save. 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.
June 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. Scott went the distance to simultaneously to garner his first
complete game and
shutout as an Astro. 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. 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.
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. 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. On July 22, Cruz was 4-for-5 for his 11th career four-hit game and second of the campaign. He also scored twice.
August Nolan Ryan hurled his ninth career
complete game one-hitter on August 3, his first since August 11,
1982. 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. The only blemish to subdue Ryan's bid for the
no-hitter was
Tim Flannery slow roller during the third frame. 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. 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). 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.
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. On September 18, Cruz posted his 14th career contest with at least three walks, otherwise going 0-for-2. which only got things warmed up as Houston ran away with a 15–2 drubbing of the
Los Angeles Dodgers.
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. 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. Left fielder
José Cruz remained in contention for the batting championship until the final day, winding up third. Cruz led the National League in hits (189), becoming the first Astro to accomplish this feat. 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). Cruz and Thon both won their first career
Silver Slugger Awards for their respective positions, while becoming the first Astros to receive the honor. 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.
Season standings Record vs. opponents Notable transactions • June 6, 1983:
Robbie Wine was drafted by the Astros in the 1st round (8th pick) of the
1983 Major League Baseball draft. • June 17, 1983:
Danny Boone was released by the Astros.
Roster ==Game log==