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Eovaldi strikes out 8 in 7 shutout innings as Rangers beat Rays 4-1

 The Associated Press  |    Apr 3rd, 2024 10:32pm EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nathan Eovaldi struck out eight in seven shutout innings. Corey Seager homered and the Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Wednesday.

Eovaldi (1-0) scattered four hits and walked one, throwing 103 pitches. After going 5-0 during the Rangers’ postseason run to last year’s World Series title, the 34-year-old right-hander has allowed two runs in 13 innings this season for a 1.38 ERA.

Seager broke a scoreless tie with a leadoff homer in the sixth off Aaron Civale (1-1) and Josh Smith added a two-run single during a three-run ninth against Garrett Cleavinger.

Struggling Rangers reliever Jose Leclerc gave up an RBI single to Harold Ramírez in the ninth. After José Caballero hit a flyout to the warning track with two on, Curtis Mead hit a game-ending comebacker.

Civale allowed one run, four hits and two walks to go with eight strikeouts in six innings.

METS VS. TIGERS ppd.

NEW YORK (AP) — For the second consecutive day, the scheduled game between Detroit and New York has been postponed because of rain.

These games will be made up as part of a doubleheader Thursday starting at 12:10 p.m.

WHITE SOX VS. BRAVES ppd.

CHICAGO (AP) –The scheduled game between Atlanta and Chicago was postponed due to a persistent forecast of rain and snow.

The game will be made up June 27 at 3:10 p.m.

ANGELS 10, MARLINS 2

MIAMI (AP) — Taylor Ward homered, Nolan Schanuel extended his career-starting consecutive on-base streak to 35 games, as Los Angeles Angels beat Miami, sending the Marlins to their first winless seven-game homestand and worst start in franchise history.

Angels starter Patrick Sandoval struck out seven over 5 2/3 innings and overcame an opening day outing in which he allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings. Sandoval (1-1) limited Miami to two runs and four hits. The left-hander absorbed a 101.9 mph comebacker to his left foot hit by Miami’s Vidal Brujan in the third, but remained in the game.

Ward also had two singles and two RBIs, Miguel Sanó doubled and walked twice and Zach Neto had two hits and two RBIs.

Schanuel extended his streak when he was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning. He is third on the MLB all-time list for consecutive games reaching base to start a career. Alvin Davis (1984) is first at 47 games and Truck Hannah (1918) second at 38 games. Schanuel also had an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.

TWINS 7, BREWERS 3

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourios became the youngest player in six years to hit a home run but it wasn’t enough for Milwaukee, who lost to Minnesota, as Ryan Jeffers hit a tiebreaking three-run drive to cap a five-run seventh inning.

Rhys Hoskins also went deep for the Brewers, who lost their first game after a 4-0 start.

Minnesota’s Alex Kiriloff went 4 for 4 with two singles, a double and a triple. Jeffers had four RBIs for the Twins. Chourio led off the fifth by connecting on Daniel Duarte’s 1-1 slider for a 402-foot drive.

RED SOX 1, ATHLETICS 0

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Nick Pivetta combined with four relievers on Boston’s second shutout of the series, Enmanuel Valdéz hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and the Red Sox beat Oakland to complete a three-game sweep.

Jarren Duran went 4 for 4 and raised his batting average to .393.

Ross Stripling (0-2) gave up eight hits in seven innings and lost his seventh consecutive decision since beating Toronto on Oct. 1, 2022.

GUARDIANS 8, MARINERS 0

SEATTLE (AP) — Logan Allen scattered four hits over 6 2/3 shutout innings, Steven Kwan had three hits and scored three times in his first three at-bats, and Cleveland continued their hot start with a win over the Seattle.

The Guardians continued to thump opposing pitchers, battering Seattle starter George Kirby for a career-high eight earned runs, although he wasn’t helped by his defense. But Cleveland hit the ball hard against Kirby and stacked together three big innings to take its second straight series.

Allen (2-0) gave up J.P. Crawford’s infield single leading off the first inning, then didn’t allow another hit until Ty France’s single with two outs in the fourth. The lefty followed the game plan of using off-speed and breaking pitches against the Mariners, which has continued from last season to be Seattle’s weakness at the plate.

PADRES 3, CARDINALS 2 (AP) — Kyle Higashioka caught two baserunners stealing and homered in the same inning to help Joe Musgrove and San Diego beat the St. Louis and avoid a three-game sweep.

Higashioka became the fifth catcher since 1961 to catch multiple runners stealing and hit a home run in the same inning.

He threw out Brendan Donovan trying to steal second base during a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play in the fourth. After Willson Contreras doubled and Nolan Arenado singled, Higashioka threw out Arenado trying to steal second, which was upheld on review.

Batting with one out in the bottom of the inning, Higashioka took three straight balls to run the count full against left-hander Zack Thompson (0-2) and then drove a 90-mph fastball into the seats in left. It was his first homer since Aug. 29 at Detroit.

Musgrove (1-1) held the Cardinals to one run and five hits in six innings, with seven strikeouts and one walk.

YANKEES 6, DIAMONDBACKS 5, 11 INNINGS

PHOENIX (AP) — Aaron Judge hit his first home run of the season and added an RBI double in a two-run 11th inning, boosting New York over Arizona.

Alex Verdugo broke a 2-2 tie in the 10th with his first Yankees home run, a two-run drive off Kevin Ginkel. Arizona tied the score in the bottom half off Clay Holmes (1-0), helped by shortstop Anthony Volpe’s throwing error.

With runners at the corners in the 11th following Gleyber Torres’ single, Scott McGough (0-1) balked in the go-ahead run when he failed to come to a set position with Juan Soto at the plate. After Soto flied out, Judge lined a double for a two-run lead.

Arizona closed in the bottom of the 11th when Jorge Barrosa hit a two-out, RBI single. Because of previous moves by manager Torey Lovullo, the D-backs didn’t have a designated hitter and had to use McGough as a hitter with the bases loaded. He took a called third strike from Caleb Ferguson, who got his first save this season.

ORIOLES 4, ROYALS 3

BALTIMORE (AP) — James McCann had a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and Baltimore emerged from a five-hour rain delay to beat Kansas City.

It was 3-2 in the ninth when Royals closer Will Smith (0-2) walked Ryan Mountcastle and gave up a single to Anthony Santander. After a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk to load the bases and a strikeout, McCann lined a single into left to end it.

Maikel Garcia homered and Salvador Perez had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who lost both games in the series on Baltimore’s final at-bat.

NATIONALS 5, PIRATES 3

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joey Gallo emphatically ended an 0-for-12 season-opening drought with an upper-deck homer that traveled 447 feet and two other hits, and Washington beat Pittsburgh.

Luis García Jr. doubled three times to tie a Nationals record and scored twice, CJ Abrams had a pair of RBIs, and Trevor Williams (1-0) allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings on a rainy evening in front of an announced crowd of 14,022.

Michael A. Taylor hit a two-run single for the Pirates, and Jack Suwinski homered off lefty reliever Robert Garcia in the sixth.

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The Associated Press