Yu Darvish turned in his best start in more than three weeks, allowing two runs on seven hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts over eight innings. The 11 strikeouts matched his career-high, as he also had 11 on May 6 at Cleveland.
Here are a few postgame notes:
* Darvish improved to 6-0 at Rangers Ballpark with the victory. He's the 13th pitcher in major league history (since 1918) to win at least his first six home starts. It also marked win No. 8 for Darvish, as he tied the American League lead in victories. Darvish has three starts in which he recorded double-digit strikeouts, one of only four pitchers in the big leagues to accomplish that feat to date.
* The Rangers, without Josh Hamilton in the lineup, put together a five-run fifth inning. Ian Kinsler reached on an error, Elvis Andrus was hit by a pitch and Michael Young got the scoring started with an RBI single to center. Young said the Rangers have been able to get runners on base, and the clutch hits will eventually come for the team. They did on Friday, as Adrian Beltre, David Murphy and Yorvit Torrealba all had run-scoring hits in the fifth.
* Elvis Andrus went 3 for 4 with two stolen bases and a run scored. It's his second three-hit game this month, and the two steals gives him 11 on the season. He has stole at least 10 bases in his first four major league seasons, the 17th shortstop in history to accomplish that feat.
* Leonys Martin, recalled earlier in the day, went 0 for 3 with a walk.
* The Rangers announced a crowd of 47,430. It was the team's 18th sellout of the season.
-- Drew Davison
Lately the only way Kinsler can get on is by an error by the other team. Popup don't get you on first base very often.
Posted by: Cash | June 16, 2012 at 06:40 AM
The Astros are a joke. Why does anyone in the AL West want the Houston team in the AL West?
If you're going to win the Division then you need to earn it... playing the best.
Posted by: Bob In Arlington | June 17, 2012 at 07:49 PM