Scherzer dominates through seven innings as Rangers blank Angels 12-0
Max Scherzer allowed only one infield single and one walk while striking out a season-high 11 in seven innings to record his third win in three Texas starts as the Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 12-0 on Monday night.
Marcus Semien had two hits and a season-high five RBIs, including a three-run home run in the seventh inning. Three batters later, Adolis Garcia increased his AL-best RBI total to 91 with a two-run shot that was his 30th of the season.
Scherzer's strikeouts included his first two career matchups against Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani.
Mike Moustakas led off Los Angeles' second inning with a grounder that second baseman Semien dove to his left to stop, but his throw wasn't in time.
Scherzer's only walk also came in the second, to Hunter Renfroe with one out. Matt Thaiss then lined into a double play as Scherzer retired the final 16 batters he faced.
Martin Perez followed Scherzer (12-4) to finish the combined one-hitter, extending the final string of consecutive batters retired to 22.
Scherzer threw 100 pitches with only one inning in which he delivered more than 15.
Scherzer struck out all three batters he faced in the first and sixth innings. In the first, he appeared upset when Brandon Drury was called for strike three on a clock violation to end the Angels' inning.
Scherzer had nine wins with the New York Mets before he was traded to Texas on July 30. His 12 wins tie him with Tampa Bay's Zach Elfin for the most by any AL pitcher.
Texas batted around in the third and seventh innings. Angels pitchers allowed 12 hits, walked eight – one intentionally – and threw two wild pitches through seven innings before infielder Eduardo Escobar pitched the eighth and gave up one unearned run.
The Angels also committed three errors.
In Texas' two-run second inning, the second run scored when Angels center fielder Mickey Moniak bobbled Semien's RBI single.
In the Rangers' three-run third, one run scored on a bases-loaded walk by Patrick Sadoval (6-9) — his final batter — and another scored on a wild pitch by Griffin Canning.
ROSTER MOVES
Rangers OF Travis Jankowski was reinstated from MLB's Paternity Leave List. In the corresponding move, INF Jonathan Ornelas was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock.
UP NEXT
The middle game of the series will match trade-deadline pitching acquisitions as Angels RHP Lucas Giolito (7-8, 4.37 ERA) faces Rangers LHP Jordan Montgomery (7-10, 3.38).