Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi has been bailed out by the bats often this year, which explains his 9-2 record despite a 4.43 ERA heading into his Sunday outing in Minnesota. He had allowed 127 hits in just 103 2/3 innings.
Eovaldi is now halfway to 20 wins, but not just because of offensive support. He performed quite well in shutting down the Twins. He surrendered two runs on five hits in eight innings with one walk and five strikeouts.
It wasn't until the fifth that the Yankees scored a run for him. He had fallen behind in the third on two singles and a groundout, then yielded another after his departure in the ninth when Miguel Sano, who had doubled, tallied a meaningless run.
Eovaldi has not allowed more than three runs in a start since June 16. But had not been extended into the seventh inning since June 10.