JMM » Discussions » following two consecutive defeats

  • Posted August 9, 2019
    ARLINGTON, Texas -- Yu Darvish returned to his dominant form. Miikka Salomaki Jersey . The star pitcher allowed just four hits over eight sharp innings and the Texas Rangers beat Minnesota 5-0 on Saturday, handing the Twins their fifth straight loss. Darvish (8-4) allowed only one hit and one walk after the second inning in lowering his earned run average to 2.42 following two consecutive defeats and his home ERA to 1.83. With 10 strikeouts, he hit double digits for the fifth in his last eight starts. Adrian Beltre had three hits for the Rangers and scored Texas first run, which proved to be all the Rangers needed, in the second inning. Shin-Soo Chin and Leonys Martin added two hits each. "I thought he was Yu Darvish again," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I dont care how good you are. There will be bumps in the road. There will be times when things dont go right. And that even can happen for Yu Darvish. It was good for him to go out there today and find his pitches that worked." Darvish, though, said he was unable to find a comfortable delivery throughout the game. "I just couldnt find the right one today," he said through an interpreter, "but I managed to pitch those eight innings. I cant say I was disappointed." No matter the delivery, Darvish frustrated the Twins with a cut fastball that was particularly effective against lefties. "Id say (Darvishs cutter) is probably his best pitch," said Twins DH Joe Mauer, whose first-inning single extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine games. "He can definitely make the ball move in a lot of different directions." Phil Hughes (8-4) lost for only the second time in eight road starts this season, allowing all five runs on 11 hits in 7 2-3 innings. "Its not been going our way as of late," Twins leftfielder Chris Parmelee said, "but our hitting will come around." Neal Cotts finished for Texas in a non-save situation and retired the side in order. The Rangers have won the first two of the three-game weekend series with the Twins following a season-long eight-game losing streak. The shutout was Texas 14 of the season, tops in the American League and one short of the St. Louis Cardinals major league leading total. Beltre scored on a double by Chris Gimenez on a fly to straight-away centre that sailed just beyond the reach of Sam Fuld. The Rangers added a second run in the third inning when Rougned Odor singled, stole second, advanced on an infield out and scored on a dribbler back to the mound by Elvis Andrus. The Rangers added three insurance runs in the eighth, one on a squeeze bunt by rookie Luis Sardinas. They chased Hughes, who went into the game with a 1.52 ERA in five previous career appearances at Globe Life Park. Darvishs strong outing followed a quality start by Nick Tepesch on Friday night to give Texas consecutive quality starts for the first time since June 14-15. The Twins put runners at second and third in the second inning on singles by Oswaldo Arcia and Parmelee. No. 9 batter Pedro Florimon, hitless in his previous 18 at-bats, flied out to centre with two away to end what proved to be Minnesotas only threat of the game. Notes: Rangers OF Alex Rios, hitless in his last 15 at-bats, was given a day off after playing all 126 games since being acquired last Aug. 9 from the Chicago White Sox ... Texas LHP Derek Holland threw a 67-pitch simulated game on Saturday, but the club isnt ready to start him on a rehab assignment. ...Minnesotas Sunday starter, Kyle Gibson, shut out Texas over six innings on May 28. Yannick Weber Predators Jersey . Particularly when speaking in the stadium of Tuesdays opponent: Manchester City. "Maybe they dont fear us as before," Pique said on Monday, "because in the last two years we didnt win the Champions League. Pekka Rinne Jersey .J. -- Patrick Sharp is on one of those streaks.The Toronto Blue Jays can wrap up their third Fenway Park series sweep since the beginning of 2012 this afternoon, when they visit the Boston Red Sox to close a three-game set. The Blue Jays made it two in a row in this series on Wednesday, when Edwin Encarnacion hit two home runs for the second game in a row in a 6-4 triumph. Encarnacion isnt just feasting on Red Sox pitching. The first baseman homered twice for the fourth time in 13 games and has 11 homers in his last 15 games, including five in the last three. Hes also driven in 14 runs in his last 13 games against Boston, with 10 extra-base hits. "Hes a dangerous hitter with tremendous power," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "You make mistakes, he makes you pay." Jose Reyes, Adam Lind and Dioner Navarro also had two hits apiece for the Blue Jays, whove won seven of their last nine. Xander Bogaerts and A.J. Pierzynski each had three hits and Shane Victorino belted a solo homer for the Red Sox, whove lost six straight for the first time since ending 2012 with eight consecutive setbacks. The Red Sox have scored 14 runs on the six-game skid and havent had a winless homestand of at least six games since 1994. Ryan Johansen Jersey. Blue Jays right-hander Drew Hutchison (3-3) allowed just one run on six hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four. Red Sox righty Clay Buchholz (2-4) gave up five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits and two walks in just 4 2/3 innings. He is 0-2 in last three starts. On the mound for Toronto this afternoon is veteran lefty Mark Buehrle, who can take the major-league lead with an eighth victory alongside Los Angeles Dodgers starter Zack Greinke, whos also scheduled to start Thursday with a chance at win No. 8. Buehrle didnt win his eighth game last season until Aug. 10. Hes 4-0 with a tiny 1.25 earned run average in five road starts in 2014. His lone loss of the season came against Boston on April 25, however, after he was nicked for six earned runs and 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Starting for Boston in the finale is Jon Lester, who allowed a run on four hits in five innings of a tough-luck 1-0 loss to Detroit on Friday. He threw 94 pitches and was pulled shortly after a 47-minute rain delay. He dropped a 7-1 decision to Toronto on April 27, but was 4-0 against them last season. Boston took two of three from the Jays earlier in the year. ' ' '