Gerald Alexander threw perfect inning with Rangers

Originally published Oct. 6, 2014

It was a perfect inning of work for the Rangers' Gerald Alexander in this May 1992 game and it was also good enough for the win.

Alexander was the fourth Texas reliever on the night, coming on in the decisive 13th inning. The reliever performance overall, Alexander included, was what Rangers manager Bobby Valentine talked about post-game to The Associated Press.

"That was a nice job by the bullpen," Valentine told The AP. "They gave up one run but held them at bay for us to win the game."

Alexander was in his third season with time in the majors. It was also his last. He got two more big league outings after that win, marking the extent of his big league career.

Alexander's career began in 1989, taken by the Rangers in the 21st round of the draft out of Tulane.

At Tulane, Alexander threw a shutout against North Carolina State in May 1988. 

With the Rangers, Alexander made it to Texas quickly, getting there by the end of his second pro season.

He played his first season between the rookie Gulf Coast League and high-A Port Charlotte. In 20 outings, six starts, on the year he posted a 1.52 ERA.

For 1990, Alexander got seven starts back at Port Charlotte, with a 0.63 ERA. He also got 20 starts at AAA Oklahoma City, going 13-2, with a 4.10 ERA.

Alexander debuted with the Rangers in September, He got seven innings over three relief outings, with a 7.71 ERA. He debuted by giving up eight singles in a start that lasted just 3.1 innings.

Alexander returned to Texas for 1991, getting 30 total outings, with nine starts. His ERA came in at 5.24. He went 5-3.

He won his third game of the year in his first start of the year. It was a seven-inning outing where he gave up a single run.

Alexander then got those three outings in 1992, giving up five earned in just 1.2 innings of work. He pitched the rest of the season in the minors, at AAA Oklahoma City with the Rangers and AA Canton-Akron with the Indians after a trade. It was his final season as a pro.

• Lawrence Journal-World, Associated Press, May 25, 1992: Rangers' pen finally comes through

More: The 1990 Port Charlotte Rangers

1990 Minor League Tally 

Players/Coaches Featured:3,938
Made the Majors:1,314-33.4%
Never Made Majors:2,624-66.6%
5+ Seasons in the Majors:535
10+ Seasons in the Minors:328