An early start time didn’t stop history from being made Wednesday in Cincinnati.
For the first time in Texas Rangers history, the club posted back-to-back, 1-0 shutout victories on consecutive days.
On the heels of Nathan Eovaldi throwing a 99-pitch “Maddux” on Tuesday night, Jack Leiter, Jacob Webb, Robert Garcia, Chris Martin and Luke Jackson combined for a three-hit shutout on Wednesday to claim the series against the Reds. Josh Smith drove in Joc Pederson on an RBI double in the fourth inning for the lone run of the game.
Leits was locked. #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/MqQDkQxKPM
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 2, 2025
The Washington Senators posted the same feat in 1962, prior to the team moving to Arlington.
Leiter (2-0) retired the first 11 Reds batters until Elly De La Cruz doubled. He left after the fifth inning with a blister on his pitching hand but still tied his career-high with six strikeouts. Webb, Garcia, Martin and Jackson, who earned his third save, backed up Leiter with four scoreless innings.
The Reds had the tying run on in the ninth but for the second straight game, De La Cruz grounded out to end the game.
The Reds scored 14 runs in the first six innings of the series. They were shutout in the next 20, while the Rangers were outscored 14-5 in the three games but still won the series.
The Rangers are off Thursday. Tyler Mahle (0-0, 5.40 ERA) will open a three-game series against Tampa Bay’s Zack Littell (0-1, 1.50 ERA) on Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this post.
Read more: How veteran Nathan Eovaldi paved the way for Jack Leiter’s gem in another Rangers shutout
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