Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Rangers again top Royals
Kansas City catcher Drew Butera (9) and first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) wait with starting pitcher Jason Hammel on the mound Sunday against the Rangers in Arlington, Texas.
RANGERS 5, ROYALS 2
ARLINGTON, Texas — Yu Darvish didn't get pulled early this time, and didn't have to try to explain a puzzling loss for Texas.
The Japanese right-hander pitched eight innings in his longest outing since elbow surgery two years ago and the Rangers scored the tying and go-ahead runs without a hit, completing a four-game sweep with a 5-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Darvish retired 15 of 16 batters after giving up three consecutive hits in the third. Two of those were back-to-back solo home runs from Mike Moustakas and Jorge Bonifacio, whose first big league homer came two innings after he singled for his first career hit.
Darvish was coming off a 4-2 loss to Oakland when he imploded in the sixth and was yanked without a chance to work out of trouble with the score tied. He responded with his highest pitch count (113) since Tommy John reconstructive surgery during spring training in 2015.
"He told me since I took him out at 82 that I owed him a lot of pitches," pitching coach Doug Brocail said. "I said, 'OK, I'll add 20-25,' and you could see him doing the math. That's only 102. He was bound and determined to throw eight and 100-plus and he got us there."
Darvish (2-2) struck out eight with one walk as the Rangers finished their second four-game sweep of Kansas City in as many seasons. Texas has won 10 straight against the Royals, who have lost five of six since a four-game winning streak.
Jason Hammel (0-2) came out af- ter starting the fourth inning with a walk, two hit batters and another walk to force in the tying run.
The second hit batter, Robinson Chirinos, got plunked on the right wrist on a check swing, and the ricochet hit home plate umpire Eric Cooper on the right leg. Both hobbled away from the plate, with Cooper ruling a foul ball. It was quickly overturned by replay.
Jurickson Profar walked for a 2-2 tie, forcing Hammel out of the game. Carlos Gomez then gave Texas the lead with an RBI grounder.
Matt Bush pitched a perfect ninth for his first save this season and the second of the 31-year-old reliever's career.