Marcus Semien hit a three-run double to complete Texas’ five-run sixth inning, while Wyatt Langford contributed two run-scoring hits, leading the Rangers to a 6-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

Nathan Eovaldi (4-3) allowed two runs on four hits, with one walk and six strikeouts over six innings, helping the Rangers secure their second consecutive win after a five-game losing streak.

Semien, who had been 0 for 17 at the plate, lined a 2-0 fastball into the left field corner.

Langford doubled in Adolis García in the fourth inning and singled him home in the sixth, tying the score each time. Jonah Heim then hit an RBI fielder’s choice against John Schreiber (3-2) to give Texas a 3-2 lead.

José Leclerc, David Robertson, and Kirby Yates held the Royals scoreless over the final three innings, allowing just two hits and one walk.

Royals starter Brady Singer left with a 2-1 lead after five innings, giving up three hits, two walks, and striking out four.

Kansas City has lost nine of its last 12 games, scoring a total of 36 runs in that span.

During the Rangers’ recent homestand, much of the talk has centered around the potential return of Max Scherzer, who hasn’t pitched this season due to offseason back surgery and a lingering nerve issue in his thumb.

It’s understandable. Scherzer, a guaranteed future Hall of Famer, is expected to provide a significant boost to a struggling Rangers team, even if he’s not in his prime anymore.

Despite Scherzer not being activated yet, there’s a playful suggestion that maybe the true ace has been with the team all along. It’s all in good humor, but Nathan Eovaldi has quietly played that role for the Rangers over the past year.

While speculation persisted about Scherzer, Eovaldi took the mound on Friday night and delivered another strong performance, guiding the Rangers to a 6-2 victory over the Royals at Globe Life Field.

“That’s just his game, you know?” remarked Nathaniel Lowe, who racked up three hits in the game. “Sure, he gave up a solo homer, but beyond that, he was consistently ahead in the count, getting outs, generating weak contact, and striking batters out. That’s what he does.”

The 34-year-old right-hander surrendered two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out six Royals hitters. He effectively neutralized the heart of Kansas City’s lineup, holding Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Freddy Fermin to a combined 0-for-12 with four strikeouts swinging.

The two runs Eovaldi surrendered came from the nine-hole hitter, first with a solo homer from Kyle Isbel and later with an RBI single from pinch-hitter Garrett Hampson. Eovaldi said he felt like his mechanics were a bit off in those innings and that’s why he got behind in the counts, allowing Royals hitters to jump on mistakes, which Eovaldi didn’t make many of throughout his outing.

“I think I was just working ahead,” Eovaldi said of shutting down the heart of the Royals’ lineup. “I felt like I was able to get ahead of most of those guys, and when you’re ahead I feel like you’re in the driver’s seat and you got to make good pitches after that. It’s a lot harder when you’re down in the count. If you’re 2-0, I feel like anybody can hurt you, especially that part of their lineup. If you can limit them from getting on base, I feel like you’re doing a good job.”