The Texas Rangers scored seven runs while the Seattle Mariners scored one run.
The Rangers came into tonight’s game apparently with the worst starters ERA in the Majors this month with a pitcher who had most recently allowed three home runs in his last start and with a lineup featuring, at first blush, about a handful of actual big league-quality batters.
Their task was beating the hated once American League-favorite Mariners to return to the two games above .500 mark that they enjoyed at the All-Star
break, which would also bring them to a season-best two and a half game lead in the American League West.
Done and done.
Thanks to great work from those big league-quality batters, the Rangers jumped out ahead 3-0 in the first inning with an assist from some extremely poor outfield play from the Mariners. Seattle opted to give regular center fielder Julio Rodriguez a half day as their designated hitter and moved professional corner outfielder Luke Raley to center field.
That move immediately backfired on Seattle manager Dan Wilson as Raley dove for an Ezequiel Duran flare to the right field gap at medium distance that most average center fielders glide over and catch and allowed Wyatt Langford — who had doubled ahead of Duran — to score the game’s first run with Duran ending up at third base.
After Brandon Nimmo worked an 0-2 count into a walk, Duran scored on an Evan Carter double and then Nimmo scored on a Nicky Lopez ground out. An inning later, the Rangers would score a couple more runs in an inning that featured a Joc Pederson stolen base, another Langford double, and and RBI single from Duran.
Just about the only demerits for the Rangers in the early goings was letting Mariners starter Bryan Woo off the hook with an opportunity to turn the game into a blowout and expend some bullpen bullets with a long weekend yet to go between these two squads.
But that’s nitpicking, really. The Rangers had a bottom of the order with no one featuring an OPS above .650 and were integrating career journeyman backup catcher Austin Wynns into the lineup batting ninth.
Scoring five runs early was a major boon for Texas and they made great use of it despite Woo ultimately going five innings and the Rangers waiting until the seventh to get back on the board when Alejandro Osuna, one of those bottom of the order guys, delivered a two-run double to put this one to bed.
With the win, the Rangers have positioned themselves to take the series with one more victory and will leave this series with the Mariners no worse than atop the division. Though, the Rangers will not be facing a second place team tomorrow as the Astros have now passed Seattle in the standings.
Player of the Game: The lede has been buried a bit as the main story from this game was Nathan Eovaldi coming up large, as is his specialty.
Eovaldi was that guy who allowed three home runs in a loss to Atlanta in his first start of the second half and the Rangers needed him to be more vintage Eovaldi against the team that came into the game behind Texas in the standings. He delivered as he nearly always does.
Eovaldi tossed seven innings with just the one run allowed on three hits and a walk while striking out eight in a crisp 91 pitches. Eovaldi was in total control in that special way where he turns a game you’d really like to see your team win into a cozy affair because you know he’s not going to relent.
I really hope I never take Eovaldi’s ability to dominate in the biggest moments for granted. Thanks for always being your nastiest when we really need you, Nate.
Bonus hat tips to Langford and Duran for delivering when the Rangers had chances in the early innings as two of Texas’ few prime threats to do so. Langford finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, and an RBI.
Unfortunately Langford also fouled a couple of painful looking pitches off his foot before one of his doubles and later left the game after six innings so hold your breath on that. You can only take so many questionable quality batters in one lineup so the Rangers need Langford.
Up Next: The Rangers face their first of two consecutive Ranger Killer hurlers with RHP Jacob deGrom set take the mound for Texas against RHP Logan Gilbert for Seattle.
The Sunday afternoon first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 1:35 pm CDT and will be back on the Rangers Sports Network.
