ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Angels starter Reid Detmers became the first rookie pitcher with a no-hitter and an immaculate inning in the same season, achieving the latter against the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
“That’s pretty cool, I really don’t know what to say,” said Detmers, who had a career-high 12 strikeouts in seven innings. “My stuff was working and I got a ton of swings and misses.”
The Rangers matched the 1979 San Francisco Giants as the only lineups to have three immaculate innings thrown against them in a season. Houston twice retired the Texas side in order with three strikeouts on nine pitches during a game June 15.
“It is something you think about a little bit,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “After the first guy, second guy, you’re like, ‘Oh boy, can we just take one here?’ It’s something that doesn’t happen very often. It’s happened to us so many times, but it’s more luck than anything I think.”
Detmers, who pitched a no-hitter against Tampa Bay on May 10, struck out three Texas hitters on nine pitches in the second inning for the 109th immaculate inning in baseball history.
The left-handed Detmers sat down Ezequiel Duran, Kole Calhoun and Charlie Culberson. It is the fourth immaculate inning in the majors this year. He allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits and did not factor in the decision as the Rangers scored three in the ninth inning for a 5-2 victory.
“I was focused on throwing more strikes. I was a little wild in the first,” said Detmers, who allowed a run in the first on 23 pitches and 12 strikes. “I wanted to throw strikes and pound the zone. I got some swings and misses.”
The Rangers became the first team to have it happen twice in the same game when Astros starter Luis Garcia retired the side in the second inning and reliever Phil…