Astros throw a combined no-hitter in their 9-0 win over the Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tatsuya Imai combined with relievers Steven Okert and Alimber Santa on the 17th regular-season no-hitter in Houston Astros history, and Christian Walker and Yordan Alvarez homered in a 9-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday night.

It was the first no-hitter in the major leagues since Shota Imanaga and two Chicago Cubs relievers combined for a 12-0 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 4, 2024.

Imai (2-2) got in a groove after walking three of the first four batters he faced, as the 28-year-old rookie from Japan got 16 outs over his last 16 batters. Okert pitched the seventh inning before the 23-year-old Santa got the final six outs, becoming the first pitcher to be involved in a no-hitter in his big league debut.

It was the fourth combined no-hitter in the regular season for the Astros, who had another one in the 2022 World Series against Philadelphia.

Ronel Blanco tossed the previous no-hitter for Houston in a 10-0 victory over Toronto on April 1, 2024. In fact, Houston has authored three of the past seven and five of the last 11 major league no-hitters — beginning with the one in the World Series.

Houston's four-game winning streak is its longest since taking five in a row after starting the season 0-2. This was the team's sixth shutout of the year.

Texas, held scoreless for the fourth time this season, was no-hit for the sixth time overall.

Imai struck out two and walked four in six innings. Okert struck out one of the four batters he faced. Santa ended the game with his first big league strikeout.

The Astros went ahead to stay with a run in the first without a hit. Texas starter Kumar Rocker (2-5) hit Jeremy Peña with the first pitch of the game before a stolen base, a grounder and a sacrifice fly by Alvarez.

Rocker struck out five and allowed four runs in five innings.

Alvarez led off the fourth with his 16th homer and 33rd RBI to make it 2-0. The slugger had only two RBIs in his previous 14 games.

Walker's 15th homer was a three-run shot off reliever Peyton Gray in a five-run seventh.

RHP Jason Alexander (1-0, 7.30 ERA) pitches for Houston on Tuesday night. RHP Jack Leiter (1-4, 4.61) is winless in his last nine starts since winning his season debut for Texas on March 30.

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Houston Astros' Christian Walker (8) is greeted in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning of a baseball game Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai throws to the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Houston Astros' Zach Dezenzo, left, slides in to score ahead of the tag by Texas Rangers catcher Danny Jansen, top, on a bunt by Astros' Christian Vázquez, not visible, as home plate umpire Paul Clemons looks on during the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai, center, celebrates with teammates, including pitcher Alimber Santa (72) and catcher Christian V·zquez, right, after the team combined for a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers during a baseball game Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Houston Astros pitchers Alimber Santa, left, Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai throws to the Texas Rangers, center right, and Steven Okert, right, pose with catcher Christian V·zquez after combining for a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers during a baseball game Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An airliner carrying a group of Australian women and children linked to the Islamic State group landed in Melbourne on Tuesday despite Australian government warnings that they could face charges.

Another group of women and children linked to IS, who have spent years in a Syrian refugee camp, are expected to land in Sydney later Tuesday.

The government has confirmed seven women and 12 children were heading home on Qatar Airways flights, less than three weeks after a group of 13 people in similar situations returned to Australia’s two largest cities.

Three of the four women on the earlier flights were charged with slavery and terrorism offenses and remain behind bars.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said anyone among the 19 on their way to Australia who has committed crimes "can expect to face the full force of the law.”

“The government has not and will not provide any assistance to this group,” Burke said in a statement.

“These are people who have made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an unspeakable situation,” he added.

Australian law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been preparing for their return since 2014 and have long-standing plans in place to manage and monitor them, Burke said.

“The priority of the government, as always, is the safety of the Australian community,” he said.

After the departure of the latest group, at least two Australians will remain in Roj camp, a location in northeast Syria near the Iraq border where people linked to IS have been held since IS forces in the Middle East were defeated in 2019.

A mother who was prevented from returning to Australia in February by a temporary exclusion order was not traveling with the group.

The woman, who is aged around 29, had remained at Roj with her daughter who had been disabled by shrapnel wounds, The Australian newspaper reported.

Their family has engaged a Sydney lawyer to challenge the order, which would bar the mother from Australia until February 2028.

Exclusion orders were created by laws introduced in 2019 to prevent defeated IS fighters from returning to Australia.

The last Australian cohort returned from Syria on May 7, similarly without government help.

Kawsar Ahmed, also known Kawsar Abbas, 53, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmed, 31, were arrested when they landed in Melbourne over allegations that their family had bought a female Yazidi slave.

Janai Safar, 32, was arrested at Sydney Airport when she arrived with her 9-year-old son on charges of being a member of a terrorist organization and with entering or remaining in a region controlled by a terrorist organization.

Australian governments have repatriated Australian women and children from Syrian detention camps on two occasions. Other Australians have returned quietly without government assistance.

FILE - Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Lukas Coch/AAPImage via AP, File)

FILE - A group of supporters surround a woman and child with alleged ties to the Islamic State as they arrive at Melbourne international Airport, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP, File)

FILE - A group of supporters surround a woman and child with alleged ties to the Islamic State as they arrive at Melbourne international Airport, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP, File)