Nathan Eovaldi's first start in seven weeks did not need to be long. It needed to be calm enough for a Rangers lineup that had just absorbed a 10-2 loss.
The right-hander worked 4 1/3 innings Saturday at Target Field, allowed four hits and one run, walked two and struck out three, and left with Texas ahead after a rain delay of 2 hours, 1 minute in a 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.
The Associated Press framed the outing as Eovaldi's first start since Aug. 7 and noted he allowed a first-inning run. Per the CBS Sports box score, he threw 71 pitches (45 strikes), induced six groundouts and finished with a 4.20 ERA. Robert Garcia (2-1) took the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings after relieving him with runners on in the fifth.
One early run, then traffic managed
Luke Keaschall doubled to open the first, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Kody Clemens's groundout to first. Eovaldi retired Josh Bell to end the inning and kept Minnesota from adding on. In the second he walked Alan Roden and escaped on a double play.
In the third he stranded Keaschall at third and Brooks Lee at second when Clemens lined out to right.
The fifth brought the end of his night: Victor Caratini doubled, Kaelen Culpepper singled, and Garcia entered with a runner at third. Garcia induced a double play from Keaschall. Eovaldi's line stopped at 4 1/3, one earned run - exactly the kind of bridge start Texas needed from a pitcher who had not started since early August.
Offense arrives behind him
Texas answered Minnesota's first-inning run with four two-out runs in the second and added solo homers from Danny Jansen in the fourth and Jake Burger in the fifth. Eovaldi was still on the mound when Jansen made it 5-1; Garcia was finishing the fifth when Burger's drive made it 6-1.
