Ashby recaptured the Astros starting catching job in 1986, and helped guide the team's pitching staff to lead the National League in strikeouts and finish the season with the league's second best team earned run average. On September 25, he tied a National League record when he caught his third career no-hitter, as Mike Scott pitched a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants to clinch the National League West division title for Houston. In the 1986 National League Championship Series, Ashby hit .130 with 1 HR and 2 RBI as the Astros lost to the New York Mets in six games. As in the 1981 NLCS, his two-run home run was also a game-winner, hit off lefthanded Met pitcher Sid Fernandez in Game 4 as the Astros won 3-0 to tie the NLCS at 2 games apiece. Ashby thus has the distinction of being the first player (and only catcher) to hit game-winning home runs in the postseason from both sides of the plate.