Stroman pitches six innings as Cubs blank Texas Rangers 2-0

CHICAGO – Marcus Stroman pitched six sparkling innings and Cody Bellinger hit a go-ahead RBI single, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Texas Rangers 2-0 on Friday.

Stroman (2-0) allowed two hits, struck out six and walked three in his 200th career start. The right-hander also tossed six innings in a 4-0 victory over Milwaukee on opening day.

“His ball moves so much I can see it from center field,” Bellinger said.

Stroman said pitching in the World Baseball Classic provided a boost.

“For sure,” he said. “In 2017 when I played in the WBC I feel I had one of the best starts to my season. I came out and threw 200 innings.

“I feel it puts you in that competitive mind frame and gets you going much earlier than spring training, where you can go through the motions at that time.”

Chicago went ahead to stay against Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) in the fourth. Dansby Swanson reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second before coming home on Bellinger’s single to right.

Ian Happ added an RBI double in the sixth, driving in Tucker Barnhart.

Eovaldi (1-1) allowed five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Texas loaded the bases with two out in the sixth, but Stroman retired Josh Jung on a grounder to second.

“We get men on base and we had the right guys up and he made some pitches when he had to,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said.

Mark Leiter Jr. worked the seventh for Chicago, and Michael Fulmer finished the three-hitter for his first save with his new team.

NICE GRABS

Leiter appeared to be just finishing his follow-through in the seventh when Brad Miller smacked a liner to his glove side. But the reliever managed to catch the ball, ending the inning. Swanson added a nifty backhanded stop at shortstop in the ninth before Eric Hosmer dug out the throw to rob Jung of a hit.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: Josh Smith started in left field in his first action since being struck in the jaw by a pitch in Monday’s loss to Baltimore. He was hit in the lower leg by a Stroman pitch in the sixth but stayed in the game. … Leody Tavaras (oblique) is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list but the outfielder will get at least one more start at Double-A Frisco.

UP NEXT

The Rangers’ Martín Perez (1-0, 1.59 ERA) faces fellow left-hander Justin Steele (0-0, 0.00) on Saturday afternoon.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — A bill introduced in the Nevada Legislature would give the Oakland Athletics up to $380 million for a potential 30,000 seat, $1.5 billion retractable roof stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

The bulk of the public funding would come from $180 million in transferable tax credits from the state and $120 million in county bonds, which can vary based on interest rate returns. Clark County also would contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

The A’s have been looking for a home to replace Oakland Coliseum, where the team has played since arriving from Kansas City for the 1968 season. The team had sought to build a stadium in Fremont, San Jose and finally the Oakland waterfront, all ideas that never materialized.

The plan in the Nevada Legislature won’t directly raise taxes. It can move forward with a simply majority vote in the Senate and Assembly. Lawmakers have a little more than a week to consider the proposal before they adjourn June 5, though it could be voted on if a special session is called.

The Athletics have agreed to use land on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip, where the Tropicana Las Vegas casino resort sits. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has said he is disappointed the team didn’t negotiate with Oakland as a “true partner.”

Las Vegas would be the fourth home for a franchise that started as the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-54. It would become the smallest TV market in Major League Baseball and the smallest market to be home to three major professional sports franchises.

The team and Las Vegas are hoping to draw from the nearly 40 million tourists who visit the city annually to help fill the stadium. The 30,000-seat capacity would make it the smallest MLB stadium.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said a vote on the Oakland Athletics’ prospective move to Las Vegas could take place when owners meet June 13-15 in New York.

The plan faces an uncertain path in the Nevada Legislature. Democratic leaders said financing bills, including for the A’s, may not go through if Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoes the five budget bills, which he has threatened to do as many of his priorities have stalled or faded in the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Under the bill, the Clark County Board of Commissioners would create a homelessness prevention and assistance fund along the stadium’s area in coordination with MLB and the Nevada Resort Association. There, they would manage funds for services, including emergency rental and utility assistance, job training, rehabilitation and counseling services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The lease agreement with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority would be up for renewal after 30 years.

Nevada’s legislative leadership is reviewing the proposal, Democratic state Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager said in a statement.

“No commitment will be made until we have both evaluated the official proposal and received input from interested parties, including impacted community members,” Yeager said.