Ervin Santana

Ervin Ramon Santana (born Johan Ramon Santana; December 12, 1982) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher.

He played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Kansas City Royals (twice), Atlanta Braves, Minnesota Twins, and Chicago White Sox.

It was Santana's first career no-hitter, and the Angels first no-hitter since 1990.

It was also Ervin Santana's first victory against the Cleveland Indians in 11 career starts.

He struck out 10, walked 1, and allowed 1 unearned run.

Santana signed with the Anaheim Angels as an amateur free agent on September 2, 2000.

Santana was born Johan Ramon Santana, and used that name until 2003.

He changed his name to avoid having the same name as Venezuelan pitching star Johan Santana.

According to Santana, "I just came up with Ervin... Ervin Santana, that sounds good."

He was a starting pitcher for the Angels' Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers early in 2005, where he posted a 5–1 record and 2.31 ERA in 7 starts.

Following an injury to Angels starting pitcher Kelvim Escobar, Santana earned a promotion.

He made his first major league appearance on May 17, 2005, against the Cleveland Indians, in which he gave up the pitching version of the cycle in first four batters that he faced.

In his second start, facing the Chicago White Sox's Jon Garland, (who at the time had the best record in baseball), Santana bested Garland by pitching a complete game shutout.

He gave up only 5 hits and struck out 7 for his first career victory.

Santana then went on the disabled list and was sent back down to the minors to the Angels' Triple-A affiliate, the Salt Lake Bees.

After Escobar's elbow problems became a recurring problem, he was placed back on the DL and Santana received his second call-up to the majors.

He pitched well enough to earn a spot on the playoff roster, but was initially left out of the four-man rotation.

In the pivotal Game 5 of the American League Division Series of the playoffs against the New York Yankees, Angels ace Bartolo Colón went out with a shoulder injury in the second inning.

Santana filled in as the long reliever, and pitched 5 1⁄3 innings to earn his first playoff win in his first appearance.

His short rookie season with the Angels ended with 12 wins in the regular season.

In the 2006 season, he finished with a 16–8 record.

After a disappointing start to the 2007 season where he went 5–11 with a 6.22 ERA, he was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake Bees on July 18, 2007.

He was recalled by the Angels on August 17, and regained his spot in the starting rotation.

On April 30, 2008, Santana equaled an Angels record with a 5–0 start to the season.

He joined Angels legend Frank Tanana and teammate Joe Saunders, who equaled Tanana the day before.

Santana was 11–3 with a 3.34 ERA at the All-Star Break.

Pitching in the 2008 MLB All-Star Game, Santana gave up a fifth inning homer to Matt Holliday of the Colorado Rockies.

On September 22, 2008, Santana pitched against the Seattle Mariners, going 8 innings, allowing 5 hits, 1 earned run, and striking out 9 en route to his career-high tying 16th win of the season.

He finished the season with a career-high 214 strikeouts, good for second in the American League behind A. J. Burnett, while pitching to a 3.49 ERA in 219 innings across 32 starts.

On October 3, he gave up 4 runs in the first inning and 5 total in 5 1⁄3 innings against the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALDS.

He finished tied for sixth in the voting for the American League Cy Young Award with Mike Mussina.

Santana started out the 2009 season on the disabled list.

In his first game of the season, he received a no-decision against the Boston Red Sox.

After struggling with a disappointing 8.35 ERA, the Angels placed him on the disabled list.

On September 28, 2009, Santana pitched a complete-game shutout, becoming the first pitcher in franchise history to pitch a shutout in a game to clinch the Western Division.

In 2010, despite the Angels finishing two games under .500, he finished the season with a 17–10 record and a 3.92 ERA with 169 strikeouts in 222 2⁄3 innings, tying a career high with 4 complete games.

Santana is a two-time All-Star, and he threw a no-hitter with the Angels in 2011.

On July 27, 2011, Ervin Santana pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians.

At the end of the 2011 season, Santana pitched a career-best 3.38 ERA and an 11–12 record in 228 2⁄3 innings.

In 2012, Santana struggled throughout the season, posting an ERA of 5.16 in 30 starts.