Call the jeweler, Nathan Eovali just carved a gem.

Badly needing their starting pitcher to go long and save their already overworked bullpen, the Rangers were hoping they would get seven innings out of Eovaldi. He did them two better.

A complete game, four-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and no walks. That’s seventeen strikeouts and no walks in two starts for Eovaldi. That is what you call an ace. 

Wyatt Langford’s first inning home run was enough in this 1-0 pitchers’ duel. But last night’s glory belonged to Eovaldi.

He was perfect through four, then allowed a leadoff single in the fifth. That was erased with an inning-ending double play. 

He allowed a single in the sixth, one in the seventh, and one to lead off the ninth. But Bochy had faith in him, sticking with the veteran right-hander even after a wild pitch moved the runner to second with a slim 1-0 lead. 

He got Game 1’s hero, Elly De La Cruz to ground out to end the game. 

The Rangers needed Eovaldi to step up for another reason. Texas’s bats are ice cold to start the season, with the exception of Langford and Adolis Garcia. The Rangers mustered only four hits themselves. Luckily for Eovaldi and the Rangers, one cleared the fence. 

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