ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — What Rhett Lowder considered a grind ended with him doing something no other Cincinnati Reds pitcher has ever done, and also matching a feat only Fernando Valenzuela had accomplished in the majors.

Lowder threw six innings in a 2-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night, lowering his career ERA to 1.30, the lowest for a Reds pitcher through eight career starts since the earned run became an official stat in 1913.

kAmw:D 7:7E9 D4@C6=6DD DE2CE @7 2E =62DE 7:G6 :??:?8D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^5@586CD\76C?2?5@\G2=6?KF6=2\5625\_b426346`ddcdh`265_e3c2`efabbc35Qm>2E4965 E96 =2E6 ‘2=6?KF6=2k^2m 7@C E96 >@DE 3J 2?J A:E496C E9C@F89 9:D 7:CDE 6:89E 42C66C DE2CED D:?46 `h__] (96? ‘2=6?KF6=2 5:5 E92E 7@C E96 {@D p?86=6D s@586CD 😕 `hg`[ 96 H6?E @? E@ 36 E96 }2E:@?2= {628F6 rJ *@F?8 pH2C5 2?5 E96 =628F6VD #@@<:6 @7 E96 *62C]k^Am

kAm“~9 C62==Jn }@[ x 5:5?VE @H E92E[” {@H56C C6DA@?565 H96? E@=5 @7 H92E 96 925 5@?6] “%92E’D AC6EEJ 4@@=[ 3FE ;FDE H2?E E@ <66A 8@:?8 2?5 <66A H:??:?8]”k^Am

kAm%96 ac\J62C\@=5 {@H56C W`\_X 96=5 E96 #2?86CD E@ E9C66 EH@\@FE D:?8=6D[ 2== 4@>:?8 😕 E96 7:CDE 2?5 D64@?5 :??:?8D] ~?=J @?6 CF??6C 8@E E@ D64@?5 32D6 282:?DE 9:> H9:=6 96 DECF4< @FE 7@FC] w6 C6E:C65 `b @7 E96 =2DE `d 32EE6CD 96 72465[ E96 CF??6CD 😕 E92E DA2? 36:?8 27E6C 9:D @?=J EH@ H2=

kAm“w@?6DE=J[ :E H2D 2 8C:?5[” {@H56C D2:5] “x 766= =:<6 x ?6G6C 8@E :?E@ C9JE9>] ]]] x >62? xV> 92AAJ H:E9 :E 7@C DFC6[ 3FE :E H2D?VE 62DJ]”k^Am

kAm%@> qC@H?:?8VD `]da t#p E9C@F89 9:D 7:CDE 6:89E 42C66C DE2CED 😕 `hgc\gd 925 366? E96 36DE >2C< 7@C E96 #65D]k^Am

kAm{@H56C >256 9:D D64@?5 DE2CE E9:D J62C 27E6C >:DD:?8 2== =2DE D62D@? 3642FD6 2 C:89E 7@C62C> DEC2:? 2?5 =67E @3=:BF6 DEC2:?] %96 D6G6?E9 @G6C2== A:4< @FE @7 (2<6 u@C6DE 😕 E96 a_ab 5C27E >256 9:D 3:8 =628F6 563FE 😕 E96 7:?2= >@?E9 @7 E96 a_ac D62D@?[ 8@:?8 a\a H:E9 2 `]`f t#p 😕 D:I DE2CED]k^Am

kAm{@H56C DE:== BF2=:7:6D 2D 2? C@@<:6 E9:D D62D@?[ E9@F89 96 46CE2:?=J 92D?VE A:E4965 =:<6 @?6 @C =@@<65 =:<6 D@>6@?6 H9@ H6?E `g >@?E9D 36EH66? 3:8 =628F6 DE2CED]k^Am

kAm“x 5@?’E E9:?< 96 H2D D62C49:?8 ]]] :E’D ?:46 E@ D66 9:> 86E 9:D =68D F?56C E9:?8D =:<6 E92E[” #65D >2?286C %6CCJ uC2?4@?2 D2:5] “qFE x 5@?VE E9:?< H6 H6C6 E@@ H@CC:65 23@FE E92E A2CE @7 :E] w6VD 2 AC6EEJ >2EFC6 <:5]”k^Am

kAmx? 9:D 7:CDE DE2CE E9:D D62D@?[ {@H56C DECF4< @FE 7:G6 2?5 2==@H65 EH@ CF?D @? E9C66 9:ED 😕 7:G6 :??:?8D 282:?DE q@DE@?] w6 E9C6H dc @7 ga A:E496D 7@C DEC:<6D 282:?DE %6I2D H9:=6 H@C<:?8 2C@F?5 E96 EH@\@FE D:?8=6D 2?5 =625@77 H2=

kAm“yFDE <:?5 @7 A:E496D =:<6 2 G6E6C2?][Q uC2?4@?2 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“w6’D 2 8@@5 A:E496C] w6 @HD H96C6 9:D DEF77 😀 8@:?8] w6 92D 2? :562 @7 9@H E@ FD6 9:D E@@=D[ 9@H E@ FD6 9:D H62A@?D] x >62?[ 96 42? E9C@H 2?J A:E49 2E 2?J E:>6[” 42E496C y@D6 %C6G:?@ D2:5] “xEVD AC6EEJ :>AC6DD:G6[ =:<6 9:D 56>62?@C @FE E96C6[ 9:D 2EE:EF56 E@H2C5D :E 2==] ]]] x E9:?< 96VD 8@:?8 E@ 36 8@@5 7@C 2 =@?8 E:>6]”k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! |{qi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>=3Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>=3k^2mk^Am








Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.