Corey Seager hits 200th career home run as Rangers beat lowly White Sox 2-1
CHICAGO — Corey Seager hit his 200th career home run and Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven scoreless innings, leading the Texas Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the lowly Chicago White Sox on Thursday.
Eovaldi (10-7) tied his season high with 10 strikeouts in his second straight win. The right-hander was working a no-hitter before Gavin Sheets singled in the top of the fifth inning.
The White Sox (31-104) lost their seventh straight game. They are 4-33 since the All-Star break, closing in on the franchise record of 106 losses set in 1970. The team is also on pace to break the modern major league record for most losses – 120 by the New York Mets in 1962.
Kirby Yates gave up Andrew Benintendi’s 15th home run with one out in the ninth, then retired Andrew Vaughn and grounded out Sheets to second for his 25th save in 26 attempts.
The Rangers have won three straight games and five of their last seven. They finished the season with a series win over the White Sox.
Chicago rookie Nick Nastrini (0-6) retired his first 10 batters before Seager hit his 30th home run of the season, a solo shot to right field in the fourth inning. Seager, sitting down, also made a powerful throw to first base on Nicky Lopez’s grounder to shortstop in the eighth inning, stranding two runners.
According to the Rangers, Seager became the first all-left-handed shortstop in MLB history to reach 200 home runs. He hit 33 homers in each of his first two years with Texas after agreeing to a contract $325 million, 10-year contract in free agency in 2021.
Wyatt Langford extended the lead with an RBI single off Perlander Berroa in the seventh.
Nastrini, who was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte for his first major league start since June 8, pitched six innings of three hits.
TRAINERS’ ROOM
Rangers: Relief pitcher Jacob deGrom (elbow surgery) will make his third rehab start for Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.
FOLLOWING
Rangers: Return home to face Oakland on Friday night. Right-handed pitcher Jon Gray (5-5, 4.32 ERA) faces A’s left-handed pitcher JP Sears (10-9, 4.35 ERA).
White Sox: Rookie right-hander Jonathan Cannon (2-8, 4.57 ERA) faces Mets right-hander Tylor McGill (2-5, 5.17 ERA) Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.
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