The Texas Rangers scored three runs while the New York Yankees scored zero runs.
Usually an MLB debut goes one of two ways for a starting pitcher. Either the nerves get to them and they’re sent to the showers early with a massive ERA that they have the rest of their career to shave down or they befuddle a lineup that has never seen them as their flown-in parents cry in the stands witnessing their son’s dreams come true.
For New York’s debuting 22-year-old Elmer Rodriguez, he somehow kind of managed
both ends of the spectrum. A little wild early, Rodriguez wiggled out of a couple of jams perhaps thanks to the courtesy of getting to debut against the RISP bewitched Rangers at The Shed.
But then he settled in for a couple of threatless innings before, in the bottom of the fifth in a scoreless game, wildness cropped up again and the Rangers loaded the bases with a HBP, walk, and infield single with no one out.
Now, usually that’s still an advantageous position for a pitcher against Texas but unfortunately for Rodriguez — but fortunately for you, me, and the Rangers — the wrong guy was coming up.
With the bags packed, Josh Jung stepped in and there was nowhere to put him. As has often been the case in April, Jung won the battle and his single drove in two runs for what might have been Texas’ first hit with the bases loaded in the last three years for all I know.
No, the Rangers didn’t follow that up with a big inning. That hit produced the only runs that they scored in the frame. But two runs felt like twenty. The Rangers added a third run in the bottom of the seventh when Ezequiel Duran doubled and Sam Haggerty singled him in after earlier failing to bunt him over.
The Rangers went 4-for-8 with RISP, and even though only two of those hits actually scored runs, those were all that they needed with the arms holding the Yankees off the board. The win allows Texas to finish their homestand on a positive note at just a game out of .500.
Player of the Game: Nathan Eovaldi accomplished goal No. 1 by not allowing a first inning run to put the Rangers behind the eight ball early, as had been the case often throughout this homestand.
With that achievement unlocked, Eovaldi shoved over his 102-pitch stint going seven much-needed innings of shutout ball on four hits and a walk with seven strikeouts against the team atop the standings in the American League.
Up Next: The Rangers will take the day off tomorrow before opening up a series in Detroit beginning on Friday.
