Nine pitches = three strikeouts = IMMACULATE INNING
On Wednesday night in Houston, Garrett Richards struck out the side in the second inning in 9 pitches. He became the 52nd man to accomplish this feat, dubbed an "Immaculate Inning" in baseball history. No player has ever done it three times but a few have done it twice. Nolan Ryan was the first Angels player to toss an Immaculate Inning when he did it in a game against the Red Sox in 1972. Richards is now the second. Ryan also tossed one as a member of the New York Mets.
The Angels have had two I.I.'s throw against them, one by Rich Harden for the A's in 2008 (striking out Maicer Izturis, Howie Kendrick and Garret Anderson) and the other by Rafael Soriano for the Rays in 2010 (Ks by Erick Aybar, Mike Napoli and Peter Bourjos).
Richards struck out Jon Singleton, Matt Dominguez and Chris Carter in the bottom of the second inning.
Garrett's Immaculate Inning comes on the 125th anniversary of baseball's first Immaculate Inning - John Clarkson of the Boston Beaneaters struck out three Philadelphia Quakers on nine pitches in one inning on June 4, 1889. There was no word on Garrett's pregame meal.