The Texas Rangers trounced the Los Angeles Angels 10-1 on Saturday night thanks to Nathan Eovaldi’s eight innings of scoreless work.
Eovaldi (4-2) extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings with last Saturday’s complete-game shutout of the New York Yankees. He contributed to the Rangers ending a four-game losing streak on the road by allowing five hits and two walks.
Bruce Bochy, the manager of Texas, said, “He gave us what we needed.” He is a real competitor.
Since Martin Perez in 2014, Eovaldi is the only Ranger to have made at least eight scoreless innings in each of his previous outings. Eovaldi was willing to take on the challenge of trying to become the first pitcher in the majors to record back-to-back complete game shutouts since Mike Montgomery accomplished it for Seattle in June 2015, but Bochy overruled him, in part due to Texas’s seven-run ninth inning.
According to Eovaldi, “I felt like I had gas left in the tank.” “Well, I mean, I would have loved to come back out there and finish the game, but anytime we can score a lot of runs, I understand that scenario,” the player said.
With runners on first and second with two outs, Eovaldi faced Mike Trout in the fifth inning and had his lone difficulty. But he forced a ground out at second by getting Trout to do so. “I believe that in those circumstances, I have to be aggressive,” Eovaldi stated. I had been going after Trout. I simply played to my strengths, and I was fortunate that “Zeke” (Ezequiel Duran) was able to pull off a really spectacular play where he got the force out.
Robbie Grossman recorded a hit for the 14th straight game, Jonah Heim had three RBIs, Marcus Semien and Travis Jankowski each had two RBIs.
The Angels’ five-game winning streak was snapped after four innings of work from Reid Detmers (0-3), who gave up three runs on seven hits and two walks. Tucker Davidson was also smacked for seven runs in the final third of an inning.
“I know it looks bad in the box score, but at the end of the day it was a three-run game going into the ninth and the same game we won last night,” said Angels manager Phil Nevin. It simply wasn’t meant to be for us.
In the ninth inning, Brandon Drury hit a solo home run to save Los Angeles from being shut out for the first time this year.
STREAKING GOING
The longest hitting streak by a Ranger this year was extended by Grossman’s single in the third inning. The 14-game span from August 13 to August 27, 2013, was Grossman’s longest hitting streak ever.
RISING PAIN
When the Rangers scored their first three runs in the important fourth inning, they were able to pile up Detmers’ pitch count, and Nevin believed the third-year lefty would benefit from the unpleasant experience.
It’s just more learning how to get around in a baseball game, according to Nevin. “You can look fantastic…. I believe he struck out seven batters in the first three innings before things started to unravel in the fourth.
ROOM FOR TRAINERS
Aliens: 3B Due to a painful thumb, Anthony Rendon was sidelined on Saturday. He was trying to field a bunt on Friday when he slammed into C Matt Thaiss.
Up coming
LHP Martn Pérez (4-1) of the Rangers is off to a strong start, giving up only one earned run in 12 1/3 innings over his last two appearances. After hurling five perfect innings in a 3-0 victory over Milwaukee on Sunday, the Angels will be hoping that LHP José Suarez (1-1) can continue where he left off.
