Rays’ Eovaldi spectacular in comeback
OAKLAND: Nathan Eovaldi threw six no-hit innings in his first start since 2016, and Rob Refsnyder belted a three-run home run on Wednesday, lifting the visiting Tampa Bay Rays to a third win in three days over the Oakland Athletics, 6-0.
Making his Rays debut, Eovaldi (1-0) was pitching for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery, which cost him the entire 2017 season, and a follow-up procedure that stalled the start of his 2018 season.
The 28-year-old walked the second batter he faced, Matt Chapman, before retiring 17 in a row to carry a no-hitter and a 4-0 lead through six innings. Having thrown 70 pitches, he was pulled after getting 18 outs, f our of which were strikeouts.
The no-hit bid ended two batters into the seventh when Jed Lowrie singled to right-center field off reliever Wilmer Font, whom the Rays had acquired last week from Oakland.
In Detroit, Jose Iglesias hit a two-run single in Detroit’s five-run sixth inning and the Tigers took advantage of Shohei Ohtani’s departure following a second rain delay, beating the Los Angeles Angels 6-1.
Ohtani, starting for the first time since May 20, allowed one run in five innings. He walked three and struck out five while throwing 83 pitches.
Tigers starter Mike Fiers was also knocked out by the second rain delay in the top of the sixth, allowing one run and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
The Tigers quickly took the lead in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases against Cam Bedrosian (1-1) on a single, a walk and a hit by pitch. Greyson Greiner struck out, but Iglesias lined a two-run single to center to put Detroit ahead 3-1.
Louis Coleman (2-0) got the win with 1 1/3 innings of relief.
In Baltimore, Max Scherzer pitched eight innings of two-hit ball to earn his eighth consecutive victory, Bryce Harper hit his 18th homer and the Nationals finished a three-game series sweep with a 2-0 victory.
Scherzer (9-1) struck out 12, walked one and retired 24 of 27 batters. Sean Doolittle gave up two singles in the ninth, but notched his 13th save.
Washington have won six straight overall and 10 in a row on the road, the team’s longest run since moving from Montreal in 2005.
In Boston, JD Martinez hit a tiebreaking two-run homer over the Green Monster, and the Red Sox completed a three-game series sweep with a 6-4 win.
Martinez tied for the major league lead with his 18th homer, snapping a 2-2 tie in the sixth.
Eduardo Nunez hit a solo homer and an RBI double for Boston, which have won nine of 11 and have the best record in the major leagues at 39-17.