Jacob deGrom recorded his 2,000th career strikeout while pitching six one-hit innings as the Texas Rangers beat the Washington Nationals 2-0 on Thursday in Arlington, Texas.
deGrom (9-8), who allowed just a one-out single by Brady House in the second inning, tied his season high with 10 strikeouts and walked one. Three relievers finished the combined one-hitter, with Jacob Latz pitching the ninth for his 25th save.
deGrom reached 2,000 K’s by fanning the first two batters of the game, hitting the mark when Abimelec Ortiz went down swinging. The 38-year-old right-hander became the second fastest to reach the milestone both in games (272, behind Randy Johnson’s 262) and innings (1,661, behind Chris Sale’s 1,626).
Corey Seager homered and doubled to post his fourth straight two-hit game for the Rangers, who took two of three from the Nationals, with each game ending in a shutout. Ezequiel Duran had two hits and walked twice.
House also walked twice for the Nationals, who have lost five of six. The Rangers have alternated losses and wins for six games.
Texas pitchers totaled 15 strikeouts.
Washington starter Andrew Alvarez (2-5) gave up a run on four hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked three.
Already without James Wood, the Nationals played minus shortstop CJ Abrams, who sprained his left ankle running the bases in the ninth inning on Wednesday.
The Rangers threatened with one out in the second. After a walk by Duran and a double by Justin Foscue, Danny Jansen struck out. Cody Freeman walked to load the bases, but Evan Carter fouled out to end the inning.
Seager homered with one out in the third to give Texas a 1-0 lead. The 382-foot blast to left field was his 13th long ball of the year.
A walk, a single and a sacrifice bunt gave the Rangers runners on second and third with one out in fourth, but Alvarez struck out Freeman and Carter.
Jose Tena and House drew walks from Jakob Junis with one out in the seventh, but Keibert Ruiz grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Texas added a run in the eighth when Duran tripled with one out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nicky Lopez.
