SAN FRANCISCO — Justin Verlander pitched well. Nathan Eovaldi pitched better.
Verlander allowed two runs over six innings with six strikeouts but Eovaldi countered with six shutout innings and seven strikeouts as the Giants (17-10) lost to the Texas Rangers, 2-0, in front of a sellout crowd Friday night at Oracle Park.
Entering play, Eovaldi had a career 9.45 ERA in eight career starts against the Giants, by far the worst mark of any team he’s faced. His second-highest ERA against any individual team, for comparison, is 5.78 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
For Verlander, who has recorded back-to-back quality starts, this marks the seventh time in his career that he’s gone at least six starts without a win, the longest winless stretch of his career being seven starts.
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The Rangers (15-11) scored the game’s first run in the top of the third inning when Wyatt Langford doubled home Jake Burger to take an early 1-0 lead. Texas tacked on another run against Verlander when former Giant Joc Pederson snuck a single into right field in the top of the sixth to drive in Josh Smith, doubling the Rangers’ lead to 2-0. For Eovaldi and the Rangers’ bullpen, that proved plenty of run support. Luke Jackson, who had a 5.40 ERA for the Giants last season, recorded the save.
San Francisco’s only opportunity with a runner in scoring position against Eovaldi was in the fifth inning when LaMonte Wade Jr. reached second base with one out. Eovaldi quickly put out that flame, getting Tyler Fitzgerald to ground out and Mike Yastrzemski to fly out.
Worth noting
Ryan Walker retired all three batters that he faced in the top of the ninth, a much-needed clean inning after the Giants’ closer allowed six earned runs and recorded one out in his last two outings.
