Six pitchers have combined to throw seven hitless innings for the Los Angeles Angels against the Texas Rangers.
Jim Johnson opened Tuesday night’s game with 1 1/3 innings, and Noe Ramirez, Hansel Robles, Cam Bedrosian, Justin Anderson and Jose Alvarez have followed with no-hit ball. The group has combined for seven strikeouts and three walks.
The Angels led 1-0 through 6 1/2 innings.
The Houston Astros used a record six pitchers in a no-hitter against the Yankees in 2003. Roy Oswalt started that game but was injured in the first inning.
The Angels planned to make this one a bullpen game, following a trend started by the Tampa Bay Rays this season of using relievers as openers. Los Angeles is using the strategy to cover for an injury-decimated rotation that is without Shohei Ohtani, Garrett Richards, Tyler Skaggs and more. Manager Mike Scioscia used four bullpen games in August.
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