Nathan Eovaldi was superb on Sunday, going seven innings and making Houston Astros hitters look feeble at the plate as the Texas Rangers picked up an 8-0 victory at Daikin Park in Houston. Jake Burger also had a hand in the win, too.
Despite the victory, the Rangers are behind in the Silver Boot Series as the Astros took two out of three in this series. Both teams play again soon in a four-game series, this next time at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
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Eovaldi goes to 5-4 this season with a 3.62. ERA. Astros starter Peter Lambert took the loss, falling to 2-4 with a 3.57 ERA. Houston also goes back to 10 games under .500 at 19-29, becoming another team that is near the 30-loss mark this season.
On Sunday, Eovaldi allowed five hits over seven innings. He didn’t give up an earned run, walked two, and struck out eight Astros batters.
The Rangers also played a solid game defensively, especially when Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo leapt and took away a home run from Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez. It was that type of day for the Astros.
Eovaldi and Lambert dueled through the first four innings as both pitchers kept their opponents off-stride in the batter’s box.
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In the fifth, though, the Rangers broke through. With Alejandro Osuna on base, Burger took a Lambert pitch and sent it soaring just inside the right-field foul pole. That put Texas up 2-0 at that point. It was Burger’s eighth home run this season.
The Astros had some chances to pick up runs, but Eovaldi and reliever Gavin Collyer shut down Houston’s hopes for a victory.
When the seventh inning rolled around, the Rangers were ready for it. Burger smashed a line drive off the bat of Astros third baseman Braden Shewmake and it rolled down the left-field line. Joc Pederson and Ezequiel Duran scored on the hit, bumping up the Rangers’ lead to 4-0.
Kyle Higashioka, who also smashed a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning, hit a broken-bat single to center field. Osuna and Burger scored, putting Texas now up 6-0. Brandon Nimmo hit a fly ball that bounced off the left-field scoreboard and away from Astros left fielder Zach Dezenzo. Higashioka scored and that was 7-0 Rangers.
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Higashioka’s homer in the ninth off of Astros reliever Cody Bolton wrapped up the scoring, securing Texas’ 8-0 victory.
Sunday’s victory moved the Rangers back to two games below .500 at 22-24.
Texas boarded a plane and headed to the Mile High City on Sunday afternoon. The Rangers open a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colo.
The ballpark is known for being a place where opposing offenses find new life.
Rangers fans probably hope their team discovers some type of fountain of youth that can help them stay healthy this season.
The Rangers and Rockies play two night games with a 7:40 p.m. CT first pitch scheduled. On Wednesday, they close out the series with a 2:10 p.m. CT contest.
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