Astros' Spencer Arrighetti outduels Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi, continues hot streak

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

Astros' Spencer Arrighetti outduels Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi, continues hot streak originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For MLB fans anticipating a pitcher's duel Thursday night between the Houston Astros' Spencer Arrighetti and the Texas Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi, their expectations were short-lived.

Four pitches into the first inning at Globe Life Field, Jeremy Pena connected on a home run off Eovaldi, who continued a disturbing season-long trend by the staff. The Rangers' starter entered Thursday with a 1.24 earned-run average over his past four starts, but after walking Yordan Alvarez and yielding a two-run shot by Isaac Paredes, the Astros jumped out to a three-run lead before recording an out.

While Eovaldi (5-6) ended up grinding out seven innings and suffering a 5-1 defeat, Arrighetti (7-1) performed as most expected, continuing his hot start since earning an April 10 promotion from Triple-A Sugar Land.

Astros' Spencer Arrighetti continues hot streak​

Thirteen days earlier, Arrighetti carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Rangers, who didn't have much of an answer against him in the rematch. Arrighetti allowed one run on three hits, striking out three and walking one.

Since joining the Astros' rotation, the third-year big leaguer entered Thursday leading the league in wins and was fifth in earned-run average (1.32).

An early problem keeps popping up for the Rangers' rotation. With Eovaldi surrendering two more first-inning home runs Thursday, the starters combined to yield a MLB-high 19 opening-inning homers.

Eovaldi did attempt to make it into a pitcher's duel after the first inning, retiring the final 13 batters he faced, but Arrighetti continued his hot streak and stymied the Rangers again.

More MLB news:​

• How New York Yankees are impacted by new MLB salary cap
• Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani blasts friend Tomoyuki Sugano, flirts with Rockies no-hitter, matches Don Drysdale
• Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte creates mammoth Giants trouble, extends hit streak to 10 games
• Reds thankful, Athletics regret non-tendering JJ Bleday

Continue reading...