How the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles to sweep the ALDS

The Texas Rangers completed their sweep of the Baltimore Orioles in the best-of-five American League Division Series on Tuesday, winning 7-1 at Globe Field.

The Rangers will now begin play in the American League Championship Series on Sunday against either the Houston Astros or the Minnesota Twins. The Astros lead that series 2-1 heading into Wednesday’s Game 4 in Minneapolis.

A look at the scoring and big plays in the Rangers’ win over the Orioles on Tuesday:

First inning

BALT: Eovaldi throws just 11 pitches, striking out two in a scoreless first. Anthony Santander had a harmless two-out single for the Orioles.Orioles 0, Rangers 0

TEXAS: Corey Seager hits a solo home run, his 14th career postseason homer, to give Rangers a 1-0 lead. Texas had three hits in the inning (Aldolis Garcia, Evan Carter also had singles).. Rangers 1, Orioles 0.

Second inning

BALT: Eovaldi throws just nine pitches while retiring the Orioles in order. Rangers 1, Orioles 0.

TEXAS: The Rangers extend their lead to 6-0, scoring twice on Mitch Garver’s bases-loaded double, then Adolis Garcia’s three-run homer knocking Dean Kremer out of the game after just 1.2 innings. Tyler wells relieves Kremer. Rangers 6, Orioles 0

Third inning

BALT: Eovaldi has another strong inning, allowing a two-out single to Gunnar Henderson. Nothing else. Rangers 6, Orioles 0

TEXAS: Jonah Heim gets a lead-off single, but that’s all the offense. Next three Rangers are retired. Rangers 6, Orioles 0.

Fourth inning

BALT: The Orioles get a two-out single from Ryan O’Hearn. But that’s it. Nathan Eovaldi continues to sail along. Rangers 6, Orioles 0

TEXAS: Kyle Gibson retires the Rangers. Corey Seager walks again, but he’s the only base runner. Rangers 6, Orioles 0

Fifth inning

BALT: The Orioles finally get to Nathan Eovladi. Gunnar Henderson’s single scores Jordan Westburg for the Orioles’ first run. Rangers 6, Orioles 1

TEXAS: Rangers go quietly again against Kyle Gibson. Three up, three down. Rangers 6, Orioles 1

Sixth inning

BALT: Another strong inning from Nathan Eovladi, retiring Orioles in order. He’s thrown 80 pitches in six innings, allowing five hits with no walks. Rangers 6, Orioles 1

TEXAS: Nathan Lowe opens the sixth with a home run to right. Rangers 7, Orioles 1

Seventh inning

BALT: Nathan Eovaldi continues his dominance, retiring the side in order. May be his last inning. 98 pitches, one run, five hits, seven strikeouts. Rangers 7, Orioles 1

TEXAS: Rangers go quietly in the seventh. Here comes Aroldis Chapman in for relief in the eighth for Rangers. Rangers 7, Orioles 1

Eighth inning

BALT: Aroldis Chapan enters the game and allows three base runners (single to Gunnar Henderson, walks to Anthony Santander and Ryan Mountcastle) with two outs before manager Bruce Bochy removes him in favor of Jose LeClerc who induced pinch hitter Aaron Hicks into an inning-ending ground out. Rangers 7, Orioles 1

TEXAS: The Rangers get an infield single by Josh Jung, but he’s left stranded. Rangers 7, Orioles 1

Ninth inning

BALT: The Orioles went quietly, 3 up, 3 down. RANGERS WIN ALDS, sweeping the Orioles and winning 7-1.

Starting pitchers

Nathan Eovaldi, who won the AL Wild Card clinching game against Tampa Bay, starts for the Rangers. He will face the Orioles’ Dean Kremer, who was on the mound when the Orioles clinched their playoff berth and also the American League East Division title.

Four straight Rangers wins

Texas has opened the postseason with four straight wins (two against Tampa, two against Baltimore). It’s just the second time that the Rangers have ever won four straight in the postseason (they won five straight in 2011). According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers are one of just 3 teams in MLB history to open the postseason with four straight road wins.

Odds on Rangers side

• In best-of-5 or longer series, teams taking a 2-0 series lead are 154-25 (.860) in those series.

• In strictly best-of-5 series, the series record when taking a 2-0 lead is 78-10 (.886).

• Teams that have gone up 2-0 on the road in any series best-of-5 or longer have won in 53 of 60 all-time instances (.883).

• Teams that have gone up 2-0 on the road in only best-of-5 series have a 29-3 (.906) all-time mark in those series.

Troubles at home

The Rangers are 2-5 in 7 all-time Division Series, losing each of last 2 instances in 2015 ALDS (2-3) and 2016 ALDS (0-3), both vs. Toronto.

The Texas Rangers media relations staff contributed to this report.