PHOENIX — Nathan Eovaldi was a World Series legend once before, and he hated it.
Five years before he scraped and clawed through six scoreless innings in a 5–0 Game 5 to deliver the Rangers their first title in their 62-year franchise history, he scraped and clawed through six two-run innings for the Red Sox, who would win that 2018 championship in five games. The game went 18 innings, the longest in the history of the Fall Classic, and Eovaldi’s 97 pitches in relief saved the bullpen. Teammate Rick Porcello wept as he watched it.
But what Eovaldi remembers is that he gave up the winning run.
“It bothers me that it was a loss,” Eovaldi admitted before the American League Championship Series. “I feel like you go that far, you want to come out on top in that game. Obviously, I know the significance of the game and it all worked out for us in the overall run. But for me personally it bothers me that it was the only loss in the World Series.”
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It was never easy on Wednesday. But for a team powered by its hitters, a team that at times seemed to get this far despite its pitching staff, Eovaldi delivered a World Series performance he can remember fondly.
They lost 102 games two years ago and 94 in 2022. But buoyed by a half-billion dollar middle infield, a collection of mercenary starting pitchers and a revamped bullpen, they fulfilled the promise they made to one another this spring.
All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien launched a ninth-inning home run in Game 5 to help seal the victory. All-Star shortstop Corey Seager, who won his second World Series MVP award, tormented the Diamondbacks every time they saw him. Right fielder Adolis García provided a dramatic walk-off home run in Game 1 and threatened to do the same in every subsequent at bat until he strained an oblique in Game 3. But it was Eovaldi who took control of the moment when Texas most needed him.
For a while, it looked as though the pitching hero would be Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, who authored a masterpiece through the first two-thirds of the game.
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Gallen baffled the Rangers with stuff and with pinpoint command: changeups down and away to lefties, curveballs down, four-seamers up, the occasional slider and cutter just to keep them honest. He took a perfect game into the fifth and a no-hitter into the seventh. It was shortstop Corey Seager, of course, who got a curveball down and away and lined it softly into left field, vacated as the Diamondbacks shifted him to pull. Left fielder Evan Carter doubled, and DH Mitch Garver drove Seager home with a single. Gallen struck out third baseman Josh Jung, and manager Torey Lovullo summoned fireman Kevin Ginkel, who got first baseman Nate Lowe to ground into a fielder’s choice, nabbing Carter at home. Catcher Jonah Heim popped up to catcher Gabriel Moreno in foul territory to extinguish the threat.
Meanwhile, Eovaldi was putting runners on base—and leaving them there. He allowed four hits and five walks. The Diamondbacks put the leadoff hitter on at least second base in each of the first three innings, including first and third with one out in the first, and first and second with nobody out, then second and third with one out, in the third. They loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. But again and again, when all seemed lost, Eovaldi made his pitch. Arizona went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position against him. In his final inning, the sixth, he set them down in order.
The game remained close until the top of the ninth, when Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald allowed three consecutive singles to open the frame. Center fielder Alek Thomas, usually the most reliable Arizona defender, overran the ball on the third one; two runs scored. Semien homered to make it 5–0.
The cushion gave the Rangers a chance to savor their position as the final three outs unfolded: champions, at last, thanks to a pitching performance worthy of a title.
