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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - 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.
Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch to the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning at Tropicana Field on April 03, 2024 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay’s streak of games with a home run and a stolen base at the season’s start ended at six. The Rays had joined Cleveland in 1998 as the only teams to accomplish the feat.
Tampa Bay second baseman Brandon Lowe left after five innings due to left side tightness and is day to day.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: 3B Josh Jung (broken right wrist) will miss eight to 10 weeks after surgery Tuesday.
Rays: RHP Drew Ramussen (right elbow internal brace surgery) had a long toss session and worked on mechanics without throwing on a bullpen mound while holding an oversize rubber ball. LHP Jeffrey Springs (Tommy John surgery) threw at 60 feet on level ground. Both could return this season. Rasmussen and Springs are among five Rays starting pitchers on the IL, along with ace Shane McClanahan (Tommy John surgery), and RHPs Shane Baz (oblique) and Taj Bradley (right pectoral strain).
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Cody Bradford (1-0) starts the opener of a four-game series Friday night against Houston. Texas beat the Astros in a seven-game AL Championship Series last year in which the road team won every game.
Rays: RHP Zack Littell (1-0) is scheduled to face Colorado in the Rockies’ home opener on Friday. The forecast calls for sunshine and a high of 74.
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