Astros throw two immaculate innings in win over Rangers
Houston Astros starter Luis Garcia and reliever Phil Maton each threw an immaculate inning — nine pitches, three strikeouts — and Martín Maldonado keyed a six-run first inning that sent Houston over the Texas Rangers 9-2 on Wednesday.
Maldonado hit a two-run double in the first and later homered for the AL West-leading Astros.
Garcia (4-5) struck out nine without a walk over six innings while limiting Texas to two runs and four hits. He had a span of five consecutive strikeouts that began with an immaculate second inning — when he threw only nine pitches to strike out Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Duran and Brad Miller.
Those were the first three batters Maton faced after replacing Garcia to start the seventh. And Maton also recorded a nine-pitch, three-strikeout inning.
Astros and Rangers officials said it was the first time in MLB history to have two nine-pitch, three-strikeout innings in the same game — either both by one team, or each team recording one.
YANKEES 4, RAYS 3 >> Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 25th home run and No. 9 batter Kyle Higashioka followed an intentional walk with a three-run drive as New York beat Tampa Bay.
PHILLIES 3, MARLINS 1 >> Garrett Stubbs hit a three-run homer with two out in the ninth inning, sending Philadelphia past Miami.
WHITE SOX 13, TIGERS 0 >> Yoán Moncada had five hits and five RBIs and Chicago completed a three-game sweep of Detroit.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, REDS 4 >> Zac Gallen pitched seven effective innings despite an early bout of wildness, and Arizona used a four-run eighth inning to top Cincinnati.
ROCKIES' SETUP MAN KINLEY LIKELY OUT FOR SEASON >> Colorado Rockies setup man Tyler Kinley will likely miss the rest of the season with a flexor tear in his right elbow. Manager Bud Black said that an MRI revealed the tear and a sprain in Kinley's pitching elbow. He's scheduled to undergo a procedure soon and Black did not rule out the need for Tommy John surgery.