WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — Nathan Eovaldi delivered a masterful seven-inning performance and Jake Burger launched two early home runs, powering the Texas Rangers to an 8-1 victory over the Athletics on Monday night at Sutter Health Park.

The Rangers, defying a pregame projection that favored the Athletics, seized control immediately and never relented in the opener of a four-game series. Texas improved to 9-7, moving above .500, while fell to an even 8-8.

Eovaldi, the winning pitcher, was the unequivocal star. He dominated an Athletics lineup that had been riding a four-game winning streak, scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings. He struck out seven and walked none, efficiently stifling any potential rally. This strong outing followed a rocky start to his season, including a loss to Baltimore on April 1 where he allowed six earned runs. His recent form, however, has been stellar, with back-to-back wins in which he has surrendered only two earned runs over 13 innings while striking out 14.

The Rangers’ offense wasted no time supporting their ace, erupting for three runs in the first inning against Athletics starter Luis Severino. After two quick outs, Evan Carter and Corey Seager worked walks. Burger then stepped in and demolished a 1-0 offering from Severino, sending a three-run homer over the center-field fence to silence the crowd of 8,344.

Burger struck again in the third inning, leading off the frame with a solo shot to right field, his fourth of the season, to extend the Texas lead to 4-0. Those four RBIs from Burger provided all the offense Eovaldi would require.

Severino, tagged with the loss to fall to 0-2, settled in after the early damage. He finished with six innings pitched, allowing four earned runs on six hits. He matched Eovaldi with seven strikeouts but was ultimately undone by the two mistake pitches to Burger.

The game remained 4-0 into the eighth inning, when the Rangers broke it open against the bullpen. Seager ignited the rally with a ground-rule double. After a strikeout, Joc Pederson, who finished 3 for 5, singled to put runners at the corners. A walk to Kyle Higashioka loaded the bases for Josh Smith, whose sharp single to left field scored two runs. The Athletics challenged the play at the plate on Pederson, but the call was upheld. Josh Jung followed by lashing a two-run double to center, capping the four-run inning and pushing the score to 8-0.

The Athletics avoided a shutout in the bottom of the eighth against Rangers reliever Luis Curvelo. Lawrence Butler led off with a solo home run to right field, his second of the year, for Oakland’s lone run. Curvelo finished the final two innings, allowing the one run on two hits to secure the win.

The most important sequence of the game was undoubtedly the top of the first inning. With two outs and nobody on, Severino appeared poised for a quick inning. Instead, the back-to-back walks to Carter and Seager extended the frame for Burger. His three-run blast on the next pitch fundamentally altered the contest, providing Eovaldi with immediate cushion and setting a tone of offensive authority that lasted the entire night. That single swing accounted for nearly half of Texas’s runs and placed in a deficit from which it never recovered.

Beyond Burger and Eovaldi, Pederson’s three hits paced an 11-hit Texas attack. For Oakland, which managed only five hits, Butler’s home run was the sole highlight.

The Rangers will look to build on this victory as the series continues Tuesday. The Athletics will aim to even the series and get back on track after having their winning streak decisively snapped.