Like most pitchers, Houston Astros pitcher Cristian Javier grew up dreaming of one day throwing a no-hitter.

While he still has yet to toss a complete game in 84 professional starts, the 25-year-old starter was part of one for the first time as a big leaguer on Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

Javier, Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly combined for the first no-hitter against the New York Yankees in 19 years, shutting down the best team in baseball for a 3-0 victory at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

Houston starter Luis Garcia and reliever Phil Maton each threw an immaculate inning -- nine pitches, three strikeouts -- after a big opening offensive outburst for the Astros.

Martin Maldonado, their 35-year-old veteran catcher, was in the middle of it all.

Maldonado had a two-run double in Houston's six-run first, later homered and was behind the plate for all the strikeouts -- 14 in all -- as the AL West leaders wrapped up their seventh consecutive series victory against the Texas Rangers with a 9-2 win Wednesday.

"To be part of that, anytime you make history ... I'm glad I was catching in that situation," Maldonado said, adding he didn't remember ever being part of an immaculate inning, much less two of them.