I got to see him pitch a no-hitter and a two-hitter in the Dome back in the 80s. Seems like both of them were late season games.
September 26 1981, #5. I will never forget how loud the crowd was in the dome during the 9th.
More rare than that even, I was lucky to see him hit his first homerun. Whizzed right in front above us in the 3rd base boxes (I was a Dodger fan then) as it just cleared the fence down the line.
Saw Dusty Baker while I was on the field during batting practice at Minute Maid last month and said I would always remember him for 2 things; kindly giving me an autographed, unused bat as a youngster and grounding to Art Howe to seal #5. Class act.
And you were at that game in '81 as well...cool! I was also at the game when the Astros were trying to clinch in '86 and Nolan threw a 2-hitter. We didn't clinch that night because Cincinnati also won. The net day, Mike Scott threw a no-hitter to clinch it.
(And then, things became painful...still kind of an "ouch!" to remember Game 6 of the NLCS...afternoon game that went into the night and I was there...)