Immaculate inning

2022 - 6 - 15

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Astros Set Record With Two Immaculate Innings Against Rangers (The New York Times)

Luis Garcia and Phil Maton each recorded a three-strikeout inning on nine pitches. That they accomplished the feat against the same three Rangers batters ...

But having it happen twice in a game, against the same three batters, is just weird enough that it could stand out for decades to come. There weren’t any in the 1930s or the 1940s and while the next few decades saw a handful each, things took a notable turn with 17 in the 1990s and 14 in the 2000s. In the second inning of a game between the Houston Astros and the Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, the Astros right-hander Luis Garcia recorded an immaculate inning by striking out Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Duran and Brad Miller with only nine pitches. Between 1876 and 1921, there were only three recorded instances of an immaculate inning. Against Garcia, the Rangers batters managed to foul off five of his nine pitches. It would be 9,112 days — just short of 25 years — before another so-called immaculate inning was thrown.

What is an immaculate inning? Astros make history (FanSided)

The Houston Astros made history by throwing two immaculate innings in the same game. What is an immaculate inning? It's relatively unheard of.

What is an immaculate inning? An immaculate inning is when a pitcher strikes out all three hitters he or she faces, and does so while throwing the minimum number of pitches in those at-bats, which would be nine. Just about everything is going right for the Houston Astros at this point in the season.

Houston Astros' Luis Garcia, Phil Maton first in recorded history to ... (ESPN)

There have now been 106 recorded immaculate innings in major league history, and Wednesday's feats by the Astros marked the first time there have been two ...

And the Astros managed to twirl them both, moving them into a tie for most by one franchise with the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers (nine each). When Maton finished off his nine-strike inning throwing only fastballs, neither Garcia or Maldonado initially realized there had been another immaculate inning. And Maton also recorded a nine-pitch, three-strikeout inning. ... So it was a good day for us." A couple of records, the same guys we struck them out back-to-back-to-back with nine pitches. "We obviously knew they were cruising pretty good," Miller said.

2 immaculate innings thrown in 1 game for first time (MLB.com)

ARLINGTON -- Astros catcher Martín Maldonado had no idea that he'd been part of history on Wednesday when he threw a ball to third baseman Alex Bregman ...

“When I was throwing a perfect game in the fifth [earlier this year], I didn’t want to think of that, but this time I thought of it. “None was happier than our pitching coach, Miller. It was a good day for us.” Now he can add two immaculate innings to the list. 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Not only that, it was the SECOND one of the game for the Astros, after starter Luis Garcia threw one in the second inning of the 9-2 win at Globe Life Field. I’m glad I was the catcher in that situation.” “It feels so good, because it’s history,” said Garcia, who struck out nine and allowed one earned run in six innings. Obviously, you're trying to strike out every hitter you face. There are 105 immaculate innings on record in Major League history.

Immaculate innings are rare. The Astros threw two in the same game. (The Washington Post)

Houston starter Luis Garcia and reliever Phil Maton combined to make MLB history by each getting three outs on nine straight strikes — against the same ...

“When I was throwing a perfect game in the fifth [earlier this year], I didn’t want to think of that, but this time I thought of it. In all, there have been 105 immaculate innings on record in the majors. Eight of those innings notched by the Astros, who started play in 1962 as the Colt .45s, have come since 1991. After Maton unfurled his dominant seventh inning, Houston relievers Seth Martinez and Brandon Bielak closed out a lopsided win that also happened to take place on Manager Dusty Baker’s 73rd birthday. “To be part of that, anytime you make history … I’m glad I was catching in that situation,” said Houston’s Martín Maldonado, a 35-year-old in his 12th major league season. “We obviously knew they were cruising pretty good,” Miller said after the game, a 9-2 Astros win.

Astros: Luis Garcia throws an immaculate inning (Climbing Tal's Hill)

Houston Astros' starter Luis Garcia throws the 107th immaculate inning in Major League Baseball history, as Phil Maton follows with his own in th...

The last immaculate inning thrown by an Astro in a regular season game came from Will Harris against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 27, 2019. In his second major-league season, Garcia slung an immaculate inning Wednesday against the Texas Rangers, making it No. 107 in Major League Baseball history. Garcia’s immaculate inning followed a one-run first on a hit and an error committed by Aledmys Diaz at shortstop.