'Maniacal' Nathan Eovaldi Clinches Another Series for Texas Rangers, Enjoys Curtain Call in ALDS Finale

Nathan Eovaldi came up aces again as he started the Texas Rangers' second straight series clincher and claimed the victory.

ARLINGTON, Texas — For the second time this postseason, the Texas Rangers handed the baseball to Nathan Eovaldi in a series-clinching game and he delivered.

The Rangers completed a three-game American League Division Series sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 7-1 victory Tuesday night at Globe Life Field. And while the offense set off the fireworks in the first two innings, it was the steady right arm of Eovaldi that kept the Orioles from mounting any sort of challenge.

Eovaldi and the Rangers now await the Houston Astros-Minnesota Twins winner in the AL Championship Series starting Sunday.

It was his longest outing since he went seven innings on July 1 against Houston, also at Globe Life Field. Against the Orioles, Eovaldi gave up five hits, one earned run and struck out seven while not walking a batter for the second straight postseason game.

“I felt like in that start in Tampa (last week) everything came together,” Eovaldi said. “Really, I made a mechanical adjustment during that last home series against Seattle, and ever since then everything has been clicking.”

It was a performance so good that when he struck out Jordan Westburg to end the top of the seventh and wrap up his night, the in-house camera crew stayed with him as he shook the hands of each of his teammates and as the 40,861 in attendance — the largest crowd for a baseball game at Globe Life Field — showered him with appreciation by chanting, “E-VOL-D, E-VOL-D!”

He finally emerged from the dugout for a brief curtain call.

“For us to go out there and get those runs for him and then for him to shut them down like that and get a standing ovation,” Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer said. “What a moment.”

The Rangers started Eovaldi in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card series against the Tampa Bay Rays last week and put together his best start since coming off the injured list in early September.

He went 6 2/3 innings in the contest, striking out eight and walking none, while giving up six hits and one earned run.

Eovaldi spent a month trying to build himself back up into the form that got him in the All-Star Game in July and had him in Cy Young conversations during the first half of the season.

“You guys have heard me talk about maniacal focus,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s been here and he’s done it. I think he thrives on it. He wants to be the guy out there and just has a tremendous focus. Built himself back up to where he had the strength and stamina to go out there and throw about 100 pitches.”

Before a forearm strain after his start on July 18 against Tampa Bay, Eovaldi was 11-3 and was the American League Pitcher of the Month for May. When he returned to start against the Astros on Sept. 5, he had been on the injured list for more than a month and the Rangers opted to build Eovaldi back up “on the job” rather than send him on a rehab start.

He made it through just 1 1/3 innings in his first start back against the Astros. He finally got to five innings in his fourth start against the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 19 and won his first game back from the injured list on Sept. 24 against Seattle.

But he took a beating in his final regular-season start against the Mariners on Sept. 29, giving up five hits and seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Eovaldi has always been a solid postseason pitcher. Entering Tuesday’s Game 3, he was 5-3 with a 2.90 ERA in the postseason, with 49 strikeouts and eight walks. His first 11 postseason games were with Boston, where he helped the Red Sox win a World Series in 2018 and left with four career postseason wins, tied for fifth in that franchise’s history.

Rangers-Orioles ALDS Results

Game 1: Rangers 3, Orioles 2

Game 2: Rangers 11, Orioles 8

Game 3: Rangers 7, Orioles 1

Scherzer Wants 'Back in This Thing'

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