Garcia and Maton pitch clean innings, Astros beat Rangers

Starter Luis Garcia and reliever Phil Maton each pitched clean innings, striking out three on nine pitches each, as the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 9-2 on Wednesday.

Martín Maldonado hit the key shot in a six-run drive in the first inning. The Puerto Rican hit a two-run double in the first inning and then homered for the Astros, leaders of the American League West, who won their seventh consecutive series against their Texan rivals.

Garcia (4-5) struck out nine and walked six innings. He limited Texas to two runs on four hits.

Garcia had five straight strikeouts, starting with a pristine second inning, throwing just nine pitches to strike out Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Duran and Brad Miller.

Those were the first three batters Maton faced after relieving Garcia to open the seventh. And Maton also recorded a nine-pitch inning with three strikeouts.

According to Astros and Rangers officials, it is the first time in major league history that two clean innings have been recorded in the same game, either by one or two teams.

The Astros sent 11 men to the batter’s box in the first inning. The first nine faced makeshift starter Tyson Miller (0-1), whose job was done after his ninth-place opponent, Maldonado, doubled into right field.

For the Astros, Venezuelan José Altuve 2-0 with a run scored. Cubans Yordan Alvarez 4-1 with a run scored and two RBIs, Yuli Gurriel 4-1 with a run scored and two RBIs, Aledmys Díaz 3-1 with a run scored. The Dominican José Siri 4-1 with a run scored and an RBI. Puerto Rican Maldonado 4-2 with one run scored and three produced.

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For the Rangers, Cuban Adolis Garcia 4-2 with a run scored. The Dominicans Duran 3-1, Leody Taveras 3-0.

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