A.J. Alexy Makes MLB History As Rangers Shutout Angels In 4-0 Win

A.J. Alexy had a record-breaking night as the Texas Rangers shutout the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

Author:
Chris Halicke
Sep 6, 2021 11:59 PM EDT

The Texas Rangers have struggled to develop homegrown starting pitching for quite some time. However, some of this young pitching that's getting the chance to prove themselves are already making history.

The Rangers defeated the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night by a score of 4-0, splitting a four-game series in Anaheim. A.J. Alexy made his second career start, and though improving on his debut was going to be a tall task, the 23-year-old right-hander found a way to do it.

Alexy shut out the Angels for six innings, giving up only one hit with two walks and seven strikeouts. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the official statistician of Major League Baseball, Alexy is the first pitcher in MLB history — since the current mound distance was established in 1893 — to go five shutout innings or longer and allow one hit or fewer in each of his first two career appearances, both starts.

Alexy also has the third-longest scoreless streak by a Rangers pitcher to begin their big league career. Chi Chi Gonzalez had a 14 2/3-inning in 2015 and Scott Chiamparino had a 12-inning streak in 1990.

Gonzalez and Chiamparino are also the only other pitchers in Rangers history to post back-to-back scoreless starts to begin their Major League careers.

Brett Martin, Spencer Patton and Joe Barlow all closed out the Rangers' third shutout of the season, with each pitching their own scoreless inning respectively.

The Rangers offense supported the pitching staff on Monday night with some clutch hitting. The lineup went 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position and three of the team's four runs scored with two outs.

DJ Peters got the scoring started earlier when he muscled a broken-bat blooper into the outfield, scoring Yonny Hernandez in the first inning. Hernandez came through with a two-out single in the second inning, driving in Yohel Pozo to extend the Rangers lead.

Jose Trevino added two more runs in his final two at-bats of the night. First, he came through with a two-out RBI double in the seventh inning, then drove in the fourth run of the night with a two-out single in the ninth inning.

What's Next

The Rangers (49-88) travel to Arizona for a quick two-game series with the Diamondbacks (45-93) at Chase Field. Spencer Howard (0-3, 6.56 ERA) is expected to return from the COVID-19 Injured List and start for the Rangers. He's expected to square off with Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen (2-8, 4.34 ERA).