Eovaldi Dominates as Rangers Defeat Yankees 2-0, Halting Judge's Comeback
Nathan Eovaldi delivered a masterful performance, pitching eight innings of shutout baseball, while Rowdy Tellez secured the game with a two-run single in the eighth inning, leading the Texas Rangers to a 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
In his first game back from a 10-day stint on the injured list, Aaron Judge struggled at the plate, finishing 0 for 3 with two strikeouts as the designated hitter. The All-Star outfielder is recovering from a tendon strain in his right elbow, and the Yankees are set to initiate a throwing program on Wednesday to assess his readiness for outfield duties.
The Yankees' woes continued as they suffered their fifth consecutive loss, inching closer to their season's worst streak. They have now dropped 19 of their last 24 games on the road.
Against Eovaldi, Anthony Volpe was the lone baserunner, managing to reach second base with a hustling double in the third inning after his soft liner found a gap behind shortstop Corey Seager.
Eovaldi (10-3) has been in exceptional form, allowing only two runs across his last six starts. This outing marked his seventh since returning from an elbow inflammation.
Tellez's pivotal hit came after an intense at-bat against Devin Williams, where he fouled off four two-strike pitches before finally placing a ball in front of center fielder Trent Grisham.
With Judge unable to play in the field, Giancarlo Stanton took over as the designated hitter. He entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning with hopes of tying the game but ended up grounding into a double play initiated by Seager's impressive diving stop.
Williams faced challenges on the mound, allowing runs in four straight appearances for the first time in his seven-year career. This season, he has given up 26 earned runs, equaling his total from the previous three seasons combined.
Looking ahead, Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón (11-7, 3.34 ERA) is scheduled to face off against right-hander Jack Leiter (7-6, 4.10 ERA) in the series finale on Wednesday.
