Nathan Eovaldi fired a three-hitter and the host Texas Rangers recorded a 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday night in Arlington, Texas.
Texas won its second straight following a season-high four-game losing streak thanks to Eovaldi and a two-run homer by former Yankee minor leaguer Ezequiel Duran off New York starter Jhony Brito
Eovaldi (3-2), who pitched two seasons with the Yankees, allowed a single in the third to Isiah Kiner-Falefa along with infield base hits to Anthony Rizzo and Willie Calhoun in the fourth and fifth. Calhoun’s hit was originally scored an error but later changed to a hit.
Eovaldi faced two above the minimum, struck out eight, walked none and threw a season-high 113 pitches. Eovaldi retired the final 15 hitters and tossed his third career complete game but first career nine-inning complete shutout.
The right-hander entered the ninth at 99 pitches and ended the game at two hours, six minutes when Rizzo flew out to left field.
The Yankees played a second straight game without slugger Aaron Judge. Manager Aaron Boone said Judge has a mild hip strain and will determine by Monday if the slugger will land on the injured list after exiting Thursday’s game with discomfort.
New York also lost newcomer Jake Bauers to a right knee contusion after the first inning. Bauers, promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre, crashed into the left-field fence at full speed after sliding to make a running catch on Adolis Garcia for the final out, walked off the field with a slight limp and was replaced in left field by Aaron Hicks.
The Yankees lost for the sixth time in nine games and were blanked for the first time this season.
Brito (2-3) allowed two runs on four hits in five innings. The rookie right-hander struck out five and walked one.
The Rangers had second and third with no outs in the third but did not score when Hicks made a leaping catch on Nathaniel Lowe after cutting in front of center fielder Kiner-Falefa.
Texas went ahead in the fifth when Robbie Grossman singled and Duran followed by blasting a 1-0 changeup into the second deck in left. The Rangers nearly expanded the lead by putting two runners on the sixth before Ron Marinaccio ended the threat.
–Field Level Media
