Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai kept the Texas Rangers off the scoreboard through six hitless innings Monday night, despite walking three of the first four batters and finishing with 57 strikes on 97 pitches. The Astros led 4-0.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Tatsuya Imai stood on the mound with the Texas Rangers watching the scoreboard, and for six innings, it never changed.
The Houston Astros right-hander delivered six hitless frames against Texas on Monday night. He did it the hard way at first. Imai walked three of the first four batters he faced, but a double play in the first inning helped the damage stay contained.
After that shaky beginning, he settled in quickly. From the moment the threat from those early walks passed, Imai recorded 16 outs over the next 16 batters.
One moment summed up the tug-of-war in the middle innings. Imai’s fourth walk came with Brandon Nimmo leading off the fourth. Then Ezequiel Duran grounded into a double play, turning a potential rally into another lost opportunity for the Rangers.
The performance mattered not just because of the no-hit pace. but because Imai had to navigate it as a rare first-season success. The 28-year-old is in his first big league season after coming over from Japan. Before Monday, he was 1-2 with an 8.31 ERA in his first five starts for Houston. Against Texas, he threw 97 pitches, 57 for strikes, through six innings.
He finished the stretch with two strikeouts, and the Astros were already ahead 4-0.
The Rangers’ best chances came in moments scattered through the game. In the third inning, Joc Pederson was retired on a sharp play. Shortstop Jeremy Peña made a backhand stop and then a twisting throw to first for the out.
Later, Justin Foscue and Danny Jansen both recorded deep flyouts in the Texas fifth, each one another sign that while the Rangers were fighting for contact, the timing wasn’t going their way.
By the time Imai completed six hitless innings, the question wasn’t whether he had a chance to keep the no-hit bid alive. It was how long he could hold it together after that early stretch of three walks in the first four batters.
Houston Astros Tatsuya Imai Texas Rangers no-hitter MLB Jeremy Peña Joc Pederson Brandon Nimmo Ezequiel Duran
No hit through 6 but walked people?? baseball is wild.
I mean if he’s walking guys like that, how is it a real no hit thing? Sounds like Rangers just couldn’t hit with timing, idk.
Brandon Nimmo leading off and then the double play saved it?? That’s kinda what happens when teams leave guys on base early. Also 8.31 ERA before this so… congrats Astros I guess.
97 pitches and 57 strikes for 6 innings is like… decent? But then two strikeouts?? I’m not even sure he was dealing or the Rangers are just swinging at everything. Double play in the 1st and then they’re like “ok guess we’re done” lol. Also I keep mixing up Imai with that other Japanese pitcher, so maybe that’s why I’m confused.