Angels' Walbert Urena makes history with unluckiest MLB outing

Urena's relief appearance featured six unearned runs, a rare feat in baseball history.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 10:35am

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Los Angeles Angels right-handed relief pitcher Walbert Urena had a historically unlucky outing against the Houston Astros, giving up six unearned runs in just one inning of work. Despite not allowing any earned runs, Urena's own throwing error and a series of other defensive miscues led to the bizarre stat line, which had not been seen in Major League Baseball since 2021.

Why it matters

Urena's outing highlights the unique quirks and complexities of baseball's official scoring rules, which can sometimes produce unusual statistical outcomes that don't fully reflect a pitcher's true performance on the mound. This game serves as a reminder that even the best pitchers can fall victim to defensive lapses beyond their control.

The details

In the sixth inning, Urena induced a groundout to start the frame. However, his own throwing error allowed the first batter to reach base. From there, a series of walks, wild pitches, and additional errors by Urena's teammates led to six unearned runs being charged to the reliever, despite him not giving up any earned runs. Urena's final line was 1.0 inning, four hits, two walks, six runs (none earned) and one strikeout.

  • Urena entered the game in the middle of the fifth inning on Saturday, March 29, 2026.

The players

Walbert Urena

A right-handed relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels.

Jake Meyers

An outfielder for the Houston Astros.

Joey Loperfido

An infielder for the Houston Astros.

Jose Altuve

An All-Star second baseman for the Houston Astros.

Yordan Alvarez

A slugging designated hitter for the Houston Astros.

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What they’re saying

“Walbert Urena is the first pitcher since Charlie Morton in 2021 to have an outing featuring 6+ runs but 0 *earned* runs in no more than 1 IP. He's the first relief pitcher to do so since Matt Magill in 2019, and the first Angels pitcher since Jim Johnson in 2018.”

— nugget chef, Baseball statistician

The takeaway

Urena's bizarre outing serves as a reminder that even the best pitchers can fall victim to defensive lapses beyond their control, leading to unusual statistical outcomes that don't fully reflect their true performance. This game highlights the unique quirks and complexities of baseball's official scoring rules.