A.J. Alexy won his major league debut pitching one-hit ball through five shutout innings while DJ Peters, Leody Taveras and Nick Solak homered in consecutive innings as the Texas Rangers hung on to beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Monday.
Alexy (1-0) allowed only a second-inning double to C.J. Cron. The 23-year-old who was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day struck out four and walked three throwing 81 pitches. Alexy helped himself in the fifth following a leadoff walk to Raimel Tapia by picking him off first base for the second out.
Local product Trevor Story hit a solo homer in the seventh inning and a two-run shot in the eighth for Colorado.
Joe Barlow pitched a perfect ninth inning for his third save in three opportunities.
Texas has won two straight games for the first since a three-game winning streak July 31-Aug. 2.
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The only other pitcher in Rangers history to allow only one hit going at least five innings in his debut was Roger Pavlik, who limited the Chicago White Sox to one hit in six innings on May 2, 1992.
Peters' homer down the left-field line in the fourth inning was his eighth since joining Texas on Aug. 3 off a waiver claim from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's the club leader in homers since then.
Taveras hit his first homer of the season in the fifth. He went into play in an 0-for-31 slump with an .062 batting average and preceded the homer with a double.
Solak hit a two-run homer in the sixth.
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German Marquez (11-10) gave up all four runs on seven hits in six innings.
The Rockies dropped to 17-49 in away games, one-half game ahead of Texas' major-league worst road record (16-49).
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Alexy's performance came three days after RHP Glenn Otto held Houston to two hits in five shutout innings in his major-league debut. According to STATS, inc., the Rangers are the first big-league team since 1900 to have first-timers allow two or fewer hits going at least five innings within a span of four games.
With starters Dane Dunning and Mike Foltynewicz among seven Rangers currently on the COVID list, Alexy, Otto and LHP Jake Latz all made their debuts in the team's last six games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: Tapia (right big-toe strain) returned from the 10-day injured list. To make room for him on the roster, INF Taylor Motter was designated for assignment.
Rangers: INF Andy Ibanez (strained left hamstring) was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to Sunday, and RHP Joe Barlow was activated from the 10-day list.
UP NEXT
Tuesday night's middle game of this three-game series will match Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (9-8, 4.38 ERA) against Rangers RHP Jordan Lyles (6-11, 5.70). Gomber threw six shutout innings to beat Texas on June 3 at Coors Field. Lyles was rocked for eight runs in 3 2/3 innings last Thursday at Cleveland. The former Rockies pitcher (2014-17) is second-worst among big-league qualifiers in opponents' batting average (.292) and home runs allowed (33).
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