ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Angels left-hander Reid Detmers took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and two-way star Shohei Ohtani hit his 42nd home run as Los Angeles beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 2-0 on Wednesday night.
The Rangers got their first hit when Marcus Semien lined a double into the left-center gap with one out in the eighth on the 108th and final pitch by Detmers (3-9).
Reynaldo Lopez and Carlos Estevez then finished off the Angels’ eighth shutout this season. Texas, which entered the game with .273 team batting average and an MLB-high 1,138 hits, was held scoreless for the ninth time.
Lopez issued an intentional walk to All-Star shortstop Corey Seager before Adolis Garcia, another All-Star, struck out and Nathaniel Lowe hit an inning-ending flyball. Estevez gave up back-to-back singles to open the ninth, but got his 26th save in 28 chances by striking out two of the last three batters.
Ohtani, the designated hitter whose turn in the starting rotation this week was skipped because of arm fatigue, went the opposite way for a 437-foot homer to left-center in the first inning off Jon Gray (8-6).
Ohtani trotted around the bases without his batting helmet, which came off when he swung and connected. He later had two infield singles.
The 24-year-old Detmers had thrown a no-hitter as a rookie for the Angels last season against Tampa Bay. He was only the second Angels rookie to do so. That was the 12th, and still last, no-hitter in Angels franchise.
Detmers, who was 0-4 in his previous six starts, finished with five strikeouts and four walks. He threw 64 of his 108 pitches for strikes.
Gray struck out four and walked two while allowing one run over seven innings.
ALMOST ANOTHER ONE
There have been four no-hitters thrown in the majors this season, two this month. The most recent was Philadelphia right-hander Michael Lorenzen last Wednesday in his first home start for the Phillies after being traded from Detroit.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: Manager Bruce Bochy said All-Star RHP Nathan Eovaldi (right forearm strain) was good after throwing a second bullpen session Tuesday, and will throw another one this weekend. Eovaldi threw six scoreless innings against Tampa Bay on July 18 in his only start since the All-Star break.
UP NEXT
Angels: After an off day Thursday, left-hander Tyler Anderson (5-4, 5.28 ERA) starts when the Angels are back home for a series opener against Tampa Bay.
Rangers: Andrew Heaney (9-6, 4.17), who is 4-0 with a 2.54 ERA in his last six starts, will be on the mound Friday for the opener for a three-game series against Milwaukee.
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