ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tatsuya Imai combined with relievers Steven Okert and Alimber Santa on the 17th regular-season no-hitter in Houston Astros history, and Christian Walker and Yordan Alvarez homered in a 9-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday night.
It was the first no-hitter in the major leagues since Shota Imanaga and two Chicago Cubs relievers combined for a 12-0 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 4, 2024.
Imai (2-2) got in a groove after walking three of the first four batters he faced, as the 28-year-old rookie from Japan got 16 outs over his last 16 batters. Okert pitched the seventh inning before the 23-year-old Santa got the final six outs, becoming the first pitcher to be involved in a no-hitter in his big league debut.
It was the fourth combined no-hitter in the regular season for the Astros, who had another one in the 2022 World Series against Philadelphia.
Ronel Blanco tossed the previous no-hitter for Houston in a 10-0 victory over Toronto on April 1, 2024. In fact, Houston has authored three of the past seven and five of the last 11 major league no-hitters — beginning with the one in the World Series.
Houston’s four-game winning streak is its longest since taking five in a row after starting the season 0-2. This was the team’s sixth shutout of the year.
Texas, held scoreless for the fourth time this season, was no-hit for the sixth time overall.
Imai struck out two and walked four in six innings. Okert struck out one of the four batters he faced. Santa ended the game with his first big league strikeout.
The Astros went ahead to stay with a run in the first without a hit. Texas starter Kumar Rocker (2-5) hit Jeremy Peña with the first pitch of the game before a stolen base, a grounder and a sacrifice fly by Alvarez.
Rocker struck out five and allowed four runs in five innings.
Alvarez led off the fourth with his 16th homer and 33rd RBI to make it 2-0. The slugger had only two RBIs in his previous 14 games.
Walker’s 15th homer was a three-run shot off reliever Peyton Gray in a five-run seventh.
Up next
RHP Jason Alexander (1-0, 7.30 ERA) pitches for Houston on Tuesday night. RHP Jack Leiter (1-4, 4.61) is winless in his last nine starts since winning his season debut for Texas on March 30.
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