ARLINGTON, Texas — In a commanding performance, the Texas Rangers shut out the Baltimore Orioles with a 6-0 victory. The game, played on Wednesday night, saw standout moments from Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, both of whom contributed home runs, while Nathan Eovaldi delivered five solid innings in his second outing after returning from an elbow issue.
Ezequiel Duran proved to be an asset with a crucial two-run single in the fourth inning. Additional offensive support came from Josh Smith, who recorded three singles, and Alejandro Osuna, who reached base twice with singles and also drew a walk, building on the momentum from his first major league home run the previous night.
Eovaldi, carefully managed due to his recent elbow inflammation, was limited to five innings. He was efficient, allowing just two hits, striking out five batters, and using 72 pitches. Dane Dunning then stepped in from the bullpen, pitching three innings and securing his second career save, each happening in this season.
Orioles’ first baseman, Ryan O’Hearn, managed one hit in four appearances, a double, on the night he was celebrated as a first-time All-Star selection. The 31-year-old is slated to represent the American League as a designated hitter in the July 15 event in Atlanta.
Semien energized the game early with a three-run homer in the third inning. Seager further consolidated the Rangers’ lead with a solo home run at the start of the fifth, his fourth in six games, increasing his total to 11 for the season. Both hits were against Orioles’ starter Tomoyuki Sugano, whose record now stands at 6-5.
In a pivotal moment, Ezequiel Duran capitalized in the fourth inning amid Baltimore’s pitcher struggles. This came on a day when 2023 All-Star third baseman Josh Jung was demoted to Triple-A, allowing Duran to start at third base. His timely single followed unsuccessful at-bats by Jake Burger and Billy McKinney, who both struck out with runners poised at second and third.
Gunnar Henderson, who once held the title of AL All-Star starter at shortstop, struggled against Eovaldi and struck out three times, a stark contrast given his previous perfect 5-for-5 record against two-time All-Star Eovaldi.
Both teams take a break on Thursday before resuming play with road series commencing Friday. The Orioles will send RHP Charlie Morton, carrying a 4-7 record and a 5.63 ERA, to face Atlanta. On the other side, the Rangers’ RHP Kumar Rocker, who is 3-4 with a 6.13 ERA, is prepared to take on San Diego.