ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Even after striking out in his first three trips to the plate Sunday, Texas’ Ezequiel Duran wasn’t lacking in confidence as he came up with the bases loaded and none out in the ninth inning of a tie game against the Los Angeles Angels.
Duran delivered a three-run double as the Rangers beat the Angels 5-2 despite Los Angeles starter Reid Detmers throwing an immaculate inning.
“I just made an adjustment and had the confidence in myself to be the best that I’ve always been and continue to do that,” Duran said through an interpreter.
Texas took three of four from the Angels and went 5-6 on its season-high, 11-game road trip despite being the first team in 43 years to have three immaculate innings thrown against them in a season.
Detmers became the first pitcher in seven years with a no-hitter and an immaculate inning in the same season, achieving the latter during the second inning when he struck out Duran, Kole Calhoun and Charlie Culberson on nine pitches. It is the fourth immaculate inning in the majors this year and the 109th in baseball’s recorded history.
The Rangers got their first three aboard in the ninth on Leody Taveras’ base hit and Jose Quijada (0-3) issuing walks to Jonah Heim and Adolis Garcia. Duran then cleared the bases with a double to the right-center field gap off Raisel Iglesias.
Duran said he was looking for a pitch up and in, which he got on a changeup from Iglesias on the second pitch of the at-bat.
“I think he’s blessed with that trait because that’s something I obviously envied as a player. Those guys no matter what happened and bad things were beforehand, he still believes he’s the best player on the planet,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “He said he was going to go to right center and he did that.”
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