The 1991 season was a good year for both Avery and his team. The team went from worst to first in the NL West while Avery compiled a record of 18–8 with a 3.38 ERA. He gave the Braves their first win of the season, a 7–5 victory over the defending World Champion Cincinnati Reds. In the heat of a September pennant race with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the 21-year-old Avery beat them twice, 9–1 at home on September 15, and 3–0 on the road on September 20, pitching a complete game both times. Avery's last win of the regular season was a stellar performance against the Houston Astros. On October 4, Avery threw a no-hitter for 6 innings until Luis Gonzalez broke it up with a single. His amazing season continued with one of the greatest postseason performances in history. He shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates for 16 innings over two games and accumulated two 1–0 wins. His performance earned him MVP honors for the 1991 NLCS. In the 1991 World Series, Avery earned no decisions in two starts but pitched effectively in both Game Three and Game Six.