05/25/26 10:43:00
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05/25 22:41 CDT Astros starter Tatsuya Imai and 2 relievers throw combined
no-hitter against Rangers
Astros starter Tatsuya Imai and 2 relievers throw combined no-hitter against
Rangers
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Baseball Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) --- The Houston Astros have pitched several combined
no-hitters. This one might have been the biggest surprise.
Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai threw six hitless innings after walking
three of the first four batters he faced Monday night. Steven Okert then got
three outs before Alimber Santa made his major league debut and retired the
final six hitters to complete the Astros' 17th regular-season no-hitter ---
four of them combined efforts --- in a 9-0 win over the Texas Rangers.
"The first inning, you never thought that this was going to be the outcome of
the game," manager Joe Espada said. "Imai, he continued to compete. ... He
continued to pound the zone, he fought through it. Six strong innings, and then
the rest is history."
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. No pitcher has tossed a complete-game no-hitter since Blake Snell for the
San Francisco Giants against Cincinnati on Aug. 2, 2024.
The 23-year-old Santa fired two perfect innings to finish it and became the
first pitcher since 1900 to play any role in a no-hitter during his big league
debut, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"Yeah, there was some adrenaline," Santa said through a translator. "I was
aware of the no-hitter, but I was just trying to calm myself down from the
bullpen."
Ronel Blanco tossed the previous no-hitter for the Astros in a 10-0 victory
over Toronto on April 1, 2024, which also marked Espada's first win as manager.
In fact, Houston has authored three of the past seven and five of the last 11
major league no-hitters --- beginning with one in the 2022 World Series when
four pitchers combined against Philadelphia.
Okert worked the seventh after Imai got 16 outs over the last 16 batters he
faced. He benefited from a double play in the first, then settled into a groove
after issuing his third walk.
"During pregame, our focus was attacking the zone," Imai said through a
translator. "But in the first inning, I felt unbalanced, the timing was off.
But after that inning, I was able to adjust the timing, all the rhythm and
stuff."
Santa entered in the eighth and retired all six batters he faced. His 24th
pitch was a called third strike against Brandon Nimmo to end it for his first
big league strikeout. That was confirmed after an ABS challenge by Nimmo of the
final pitch.
"I wasn't sure," Santa said, but catcher Christian Vzquez was already on the
mound telling him, "Hey stud, that's a strike."
The Rangers were held without a hit for the sixth time, the first since Corey
Kluber threw a no-hitter against them for the New York Yankees on May 19, 2021.
Imai's fourth walk of the night was to Nimmo leading off the fourth inning, but
Ezequiel Duran then grounded into a double play.
Imai (2-2) threw 57 of his 97 pitches for strikes. He struck out two.
The 28-year-old Imai, who said his only previous no-hitter came in middle
school, is in his first big league season after coming over from Japan. He was
1-2 with an 8.31 ERA in his first five starts for Houston.
Imai joined the Astros in January after agreeing to a $54 million, three-year
contract. He was a three-time All-Star during eight seasons in Japan, and went
10-5 with a 1.92 ERA last season for the Pacific League's Seibu Lions, striking
out 178 in 163 2/3 innings.
Rangers leadoff hitter Joc Pederson was retired on a nifty play in the third
when shortstop Jeremy Pea made a backhand stop and a twisting throw to first
for the out. Justin Foscue and Danny Jansen had deep flyouts into the
left-center gap in the Texas fifth.
Okert walked Nimmo leading off the seventh before retiring the next three
batters.
___
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