Rangers’ Yu Darvish Establishes New High For Pitch Count Since Return From Surgery

by Pablo MenaAugust 31, 2016, 11:43 amNews >

With a single win, the Texas Rangers ended their battle with the American League West’s second-place team.

Rangers’ Yu Darvish Establishes New High For Pitch Count Since Return From Surgery

The Rangers defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-3 at Globe Life Park Monday night. Seattle’s loss, combined with Houston’s 3-0 victory over the Oakland A’s on Monday, pushed the Astros back into second place. The Rangers (78-54), meanwhile, are in first place. Texas play their next nine games against Seattle and Houston, so the places could switch at any point, of course.

Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish seems to have gotten rather comfortable on his home turf. The 30-year-old Japanese right-hander is 5-0 at Globe Life Park this season in seven starts and has a 3.00 ERA. He’s struck out 48 and walked 10. For his career: 27-11 with a 3.02 ERA.

Darvish established a new high for pitch count since returning from Tommy John surgery with 110. He had 107 pitches on Aug. 12 against Detroit. After giving up four walks in his first start since returning from his midseason DL trip, Darvish has allowed only 10 walks over his last eight starts. He has 62 strikeouts in that span.

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When Ketel Marte stole second base in the third inning Monday, it marked the 22nd consecutive successful stolen base attempt against Darvish dating back to 2013. Darvish did a nice job fielding Kyle Seager’s soft grounder and throwing on to first for the second out of the sixth inning.

Carlos Beltran hit his 25th home run of the season, his third with Texas, on a 2-2 pitch with two outs. Beltran also had extra-base hits in his first two at-bats Monday.

Adrian Beltre’s fifth-inning double was the 584th of his career, thus breaking a tie with Robin Yount for 20th all-time. He is now one behind Rafael Palmeiro for 19th.

ARLINGTON, TX – JUNE 08: Yu Darvish #11 of the Texas Rangers throws in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Park in Arlington on June 8, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images)