Jacob deGrom strikes out 10 while reaching 1,900 Ks as Rangers beat Cubs 3-0 in another shutout

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jacob deGrom tied his season high with 10 strikeouts while earning the 1,900th of his career, Evan Carter hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Sunday.

The Texas right-hander allowed three hits in seven innings while striking out Ian Happ three times to end Happ's career-best streak for reaching base at 30 games.

The Rangers took the series with consecutive shutouts — their fourth and fifth of the season — after the Cubs opened the three-game set with a victory that clinched their second 10-game winning streak in a span of 23 games.

Josh Jung, who had three hits for the second game in a row, opened the scoring by racing home from third on Alejandro Osuna's grounder wide of first in the fourth, his foot touching home on his slide just before the tag from catcher Carson Kelly on Michael Busch's throw. The Cubs challenged, and the call was upheld on review.

Jacob Latz retired all six batters in the eighth and ninth for his fourth save, striking out Seiya Suzuki to end the game with Happ waiting on deck.

Leadoff man Nico Hoerner had two hits off deGrom, but Chicago's 2-3-4 hitters — including Happ — went 0 for 9 with eight strikeouts against the two-time Cy Young Award winner.

Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong also entered the game with lengthy on-base streaks for the Cubs. Busch extended his to 12 with a single in the seventh. Crow-Armstrong's ended at 13.

The 1,900th strikeout for deGrom came in the first when Suzuki swung at a 91.3 mph slider to end the inning. He was the second-fastest in games (256) to reach 1,900 behind Hall of Famer Randy Johnson (252).

The 37-year-old was also and the second-fastest in innings (1,578 1/3) behind Atlanta left-hander Chris Sale (1,560 1/3), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Cubs RHP Colin Rea (4-1, 4.03 ERA) is set for the series opener in Atlanta on Tuesday. Texas RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-4, 4.15) is scheduled to face Arizona at home Monday night.

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Texas Rangers' Evan Carter follows through on a two-run home run in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Sunday May 10, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Texas Rangers' Josh Jung advances the third on a Joc Pederson double in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Sunday May 10, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ reaches out to glove a single by Texas Rangers' Josh Jung in the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday May 10, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom throws to Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki and gets his 1,900th career strikeout in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

The Southeastern Conference received six of the top eight seeds in the NCAA Division I Softball Championship when the 64-team field was revealed on Sunday, including Alabama at No. 1 and defending national champion Texas at No. 2.

In all, the SEC got 12 of its 15 teams into the field.

Regional play starts Friday, with the top 16 seeds hosting. The eight teams that get through super regionals the next week will play in the Women's College World Series, which starts May 28 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

Alabama (49-7) didn't catch a break in the seeding — the Crimson Tide could face Belmont superstar pitcher Maya Johnson in regional play. Johnson leads the nation with a 0.66 earned run average and was the No. 3 overall pick in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League draft.

Texas (42-10) returns pitcher Teagan Kavan, who was the Most Outstanding Player of the Women's College World Series last year and led the Longhorns to the SEC Tournament title this season. The Longhorns beat Alabama in the SEC championship game.

Oklahoma (48-8) is the No. 3 overall seed, despite losing in its opening game at the SEC Tournament. The Sooners have won four of the past five national titles and reached the semifinals last year. Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso, also the USA national coach, has won eight national championships.

Nebraska is seeded fourth. The Cornhuskers (46-6) beat UCLA to win the Big Ten tournament title on Saturday. Nebraska's Jordy Frahm led Oklahoma to a national title in 2023 as Jordy Bahl before transferring, then later getting married and changing her name.

The SEC has Arkansas (42-11) as the No. 5 seed, Florida (48-10) at No. 6 and Tennessee (42-10) at No. 7.

UCLA (47-8) is the No. 8 seed. Megan Grant just set the single-season record with 38 home runs. Jordan Woolery, who bats behind her at third in the lineup, has 107 RBIs and was the Big Ten Player of the Year.

Florida State (49-8) is No. 9 overall. The Seminoles won the national title in 2018 and were runner-up in 2021 and 2023.

Texas Tech fell all the way to No. 11 overall, despite a 52-6 record. Star pitcher NiJaree Canady led the Red Raiders to the championship series last year. She has more help this year, including pitcher Kaitlyn Terry.

The other top 16 seeds that will host include No. 10 Georgia (38-18), No. 12 Duke (39-14), No. 13 Oklahoma State (38-15), No. 14 Oregon (40-12), No. 15 Texas A&M (36-17) and No. 16 LSU (37-17).

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

FILE - Texas Tech starting pitcher/relief pitcher Nijaree Canady (24) during an NCAA softball game against CS Fullerton on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Cathedral City, Calif. (AP Photo/Mike Buscher,File)

FILE - Tennessee starting pitcher/relief pitcher Karlyn Pickens (23) during an NCAA softball Women's College World Series game, Thursday, May 29, 2025 in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis,File)