A Rangers-Angels Immaculate Inning Connection

Texas was the victim of an immaculate inning for the third time this season, but the Angels' three all-time immaculate innings have a Rangers connection

For the third time this season the Texas Rangers were a victim of an ‘immaculate inning,’ this time during Sunday’s game with the Los Angeles Angels.

Oddly, the immaculate inning — authored by Angels starter Reid Detmers — was the third in Angels history. Plus, all three Angels immaculate innings have a Rangers connection.

An immaculate inning is when a pitcher retires the side in order, all by strikeout, on nine pitches.

Detmers notched his place in Angels history in the top of the second inning. He started by fanning Ezequiel Duran, who swung and missed at the first pitch, looked at the second strike then hit a foul tip, which was caught by catcher Max Stazzi.

Next, former Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun took the first strike, swung and missed at the second strike and then, oddly enough, hit a foul tip that Stazzi caught for the third strike.

Finally, Charlie Culberson swung and missed at the first pitch, fouled off the second and then swung and missed at the third pitch, which ended the inning.

The first Angels player to record an immaculate inning was Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, who pitched for nearly a decade for the Angles and played for the Rangers from 1989-93. Ryan did it on July 9, 1972, against Boston, as he struck out Carlton Fisk, Bob Burda and Juan Beníquez. Ryan also did it as a member of the New York Mets.

The second Angels player to do is Garrett Richards, who is now on the Rangers’ pitching staff. He did it on June 14, 2014, against the Houston Astros, as he struck out Jon Singleton, Matt Dominguez and Chris Carter.

The Houston Astros have the other two immaculate innings against the Rangers this season. Luis García and Phil Maton did it in the same game, on June 15. García did it in the second inning and Maton did it in the seventh inning, and both struck out the same three hitters — Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Durán and Brad Miller.

Sunday was the fourth time the Rangers have been the victim of an immaculate inning. The first time it happened was April 29, 1990, as Kansas City’s Jeff Montgomery struck out Pete Incaviglia, Geno Petralli and Thad Bosley.

Rangers pitching has never recorded an immaculate inning.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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