Athletics hit 3 solo homers on 7 pitches off Rangers’ Eovaldi in 1st inning en route to 8-1 victoryThe Associated PressARLINGTON, Texas<\/p>\n
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) \u2014 The Athletics got off to a fast start against Texas on Friday night, hitting three solo home runs in the first inning and adding two later in their 8-1 win over the Rangers.<\/p>\n
Nick Kurtz, Carlos Cortes and Tyler Soderstrom each hit a ball over the outfield wall \u2014 just seven pitches into the game \u2013 all off 15-season veteran Nathan Eovaldi.<\/p>\n
\u201cThree runs on the board is huge,\u201d said Cortes, who also homered off Eovaldi in the fifth with two runners on. \u201cThat guy\u2019s a legend, great pitcher. I just felt good today. Excited to come through in some big situations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kurtz launched Eovaldi\u2019s first-pitch fastball over the right-field wall. Cortes sent another shot to right, and Tyler Soderstrom homered on the first pitch he saw to straight-away center.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of great from pitch one to be able to put a score up on the board,\u201d Kurtz said. \u201cThe boys followed up that with two more. It\u2019s pretty cool. We usually get a heater, so I was looking for it, and he threw it in a place where I could hit it.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was the first time in franchise history the A\u2019s homered three times in the top of the first inning, according to Elias and Sarah Langs. The last time they homered three times in the first came at home on July 8 last season against the Atlanta Braves.<\/p>\n
Eovaldi gave up at least three homers in an inning for the fourth time in 15 big league seasons, the first time since he came to Texas in 2023. He allowed a career-high five to Houston in May 2022, while with the Boston Red Sox.<\/p>\n
The 36-year-old right-hander had no trouble with the Athletics\u2019 batting order when he faced them on April 13 in California, shutting them out over seven innings on three hits in an 8-1 Rangers victory. He entered Friday with a career ERA against the A\u2019s of 2.54, his lowest against any opponent he has faced at least six times.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had our struggles against him,\u201d Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. \u201cWe came out tonight and got some balls up in the zone. It\u2019s obviously a great start when your leadoff guy hits a homer. There\u2019s a lot of excitement, a lot of momentum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEarly on they were really on top of the fastball,\u201d Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. \u201cFirst pitch of the game, obviously, their game plan was on the attack, and they executed it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eovaldi’s ERA is 5.79 through six starts after compiling a career-best 1.73 last season in 22 starts. He said he’s struggling with pitch location.<\/p>\n
\u201cLately I\u2019ve just been middle-middle, middle-away, middle-in,” he said.<\/p>\n
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