ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Athletics got off to a fast start against the Texas Rangers on Friday night, hitting three solo home runs in the first inning.
Nick Kurtz, Carlos Cortes and Tyler Soderstrom — three of the first four hitters — homered just seven pitches into the game.
Kurtz launched Nathan Eovaldi’s first pitch over the right-field wall. Cortes sent another shot to right, and Tyler Soderstrom homered on the first pitch he saw to straight-away center.
The last time the Athletics homered three times in the first inning was against the Atlanta Braves on July 8, all against Didier Fuentes.
Eovaldi had no trouble with the Athletics’ batting order when he faced them on April 13 in California, shutting them out over seven innings on three hits in an 8-1 Rangers victory. He entered with a career ERA against the A’s of 2.54, his lowest against any opponent he faced at least six times.
In Eovaldi’s previous start, he allowed four runs, two earned, in five innings at Seattle.
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