Corey Seager hit his 200th home run, Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven shutout innings to outduel counterpart Nick Nastrini and the visiting Texas Rangers edged the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Thursday to secure a three-game sweep.
Eovaldi and relievers David Robertson and Kirby Yates combined on a three-hitter, with Yates navigating Andrew Benintendi’s solo shot in the ninth for his 25th save.
The sputtering White Sox suffered their 21st sweep of the season while losing their seventh in a row and 11th of 12. Their 104 losses overall are two shy of matching the franchise record for a single season, set in 1970.
Chicago must win 12 of its last 27 games to avoid matching the 1962 New York Mets’ major league record for most losses in a season (120).
Nastrini (0-6), a rookie right-hander, kept the White Sox afloat with six innings of one-run ball. He scattered three hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
Pitching in the majors for the first time since June 8, Nastrini appeared to move past the control problems that pocked his first seven career appearances. He entered the afternoon with an 8.39 ERA.
Nastrini retired the first 10 Rangers in order before Seager spoiled the shutout with a 406-foot home run to right with one out in the fourth. Texas took a 2-0 lead in the seventh on a Wyatt Langford RBI groundout.
Eovaldi (10-7) made the most of the support to improve to 2-0 against Chicago this season while helping the Rangers earn a sweep of the seven-game season series.
Eovaldi spaced one hit, two walks and 10 strikeouts. He delivered seven innings of two-run ball against visiting Chicago on July 24, also fanning 10.
Seager’s blast gave him 30 home runs this season, his third straight campaign with 30 or more homers. He batted .500 in the series (7-for-14) with a home run and three RBIs.
Josh Smith, Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Jung had two hits apiece for the Rangers.
Gavin Sheets collected the first hit for Chicago, singling to open the fifth. He quickly was erased when the next batter, Korey Lee, grounded into a double play.
–Field Level Media