Nathan Eovaldi continued his mastery of the Cincinnati Reds, tossing his third career shutout, while Wyatt Langford provided the only offense with a solo homer as the visiting Texas Rangers prevailed 1-0 Tuesday night.
Eovaldi (1-0) has registered a quality start in all five career outings against Cincinnati, including Tuesday night’s effort, in which he needed just 99 pitches to finish the four-hit masterpiece. He struck out eight and walked none.
The Reds threatened in the seventh against Eovaldi when Matt McLain opened with a single to left. He advanced on groundouts to second by Elly De La Cruz and Gavin Lux. But the threat ended when Jeimer Candelario flew out to left.
Pinch-hitter Jacob Hurtubise singled to right to open the ninth but TJ Friedl’s bunt forced Hurtubise at second. McLain lined out to center and De La Cruz grounded out to first to end the game.
Lifetime against the Reds, Eovaldi has now allowed just six runs (five earned) over 36 innings, lowering his ERA to 1.25, with 20 hits and 35 strikeouts.
After the two teams combined for 17 runs, 19 hits and four home runs Monday, Texas and Cincinnati put on a pitching clinic Tuesday night at the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.
Eovaldi retired the first 12 batters, needing just 46 pitches to get through four innings. Lux singled cleanly in front of right fielder Adolis Garcia to open the fifth and Cincinnati had its first baserunner and hit of the night. It was the second time in three games that Cincinnati failed to put a runner on through four innings.
Langford, who finished 2-for-4, gave the Rangers their first lead of the three-game series, lifting Carson Spiers’ sinking fastball several rows deep into the seats in left for his second homer of the season.
Aside from the home run, Spiers (0-1) was able to match Eovaldi in putting zeroes on the scoreboard, holding the Rangers scoreless in the next five innings. The Cincinnati starter yielded just the one run on three hits, walking two, striking out five and hitting a batter.
–Field Level Media
