11 Yu Darvish, SP

Rangers starter Yu Darvish wasn't at his sharpest Tuesday at home against the Athletics. He may not have been able to avoid losing even if he was. 

Darvish dropped his record to 7-2 on the year with a 2.84 ERA as he took the loss against Oakland's Dan Straily, who pitched seven shutout innings as the bullpen finished the job in the 1-0 game. 

The Texas ace allowed just one run on five hits and three walks over six innings. The lone run he allowed came on a third-inning solo homer by Yoenis Cespedes. Darvish struck out five. 

The 26-year-old won his seventh game his last time out despite giving up four runs. He hasn't had a double-digit strikeout game in a while, but still has 91 on the year over 66 2/3 innings to lead the American League. 

Darvish will look to get back on the winning track when he next takes the ball Monday during a doubleheader at Arizona. 

Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish squared off against Justin Verlander in one of the most highly anticipated pitching matchups of the season Thursday, but neither pitcher brought his best stuff. Darvish, however, picked up the win to move to 7-1 by allowing four earned runs in eight innings, striking out six batters and walking one.

Despite having the game in hand late, the Rangers allowed Darvish to throw 130 pitches, the second highest pitch count of any AL pitcher this season and the second time in three starts Darvish has thrown at least 127 pitches. He'll take a 2.97 ERA into a start at home against the A's Tuesday.

Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish was able to beat the Astros for the second time this year Saturday night. Darvish, who came within one out of throwing a perfect game the last time he faced Houston, allowed three runs on three hits over seven innings in an 8-7 win.

The right-hander retired the first seven batters he faced before Matt Dominguez belted a solo home run in the third. Dominguez also touched up Darvish for a two-run shot in the sixth, which was all the offense Houston could muster against the Texas starter.

Darvish, who is 3-0 with 33 Ks in three career starts against the Astros, was pulled after throwing 105 pitches and finished with eight strikeouts and three walks. With 301 career strikeouts, he joined Dwight Gooden (319) as the only pitchers in major league history to reach at least 300 in their first 37 major league starts.

Darvish (5-1) is slated to face the Tigers at home next Thursday. He is 3-0 with a 3.60 ERA in three career starts against Detroit.

Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish's rise to leading the majors in strikeouts has not come without a price. That expense has been a high pitch count as the righty is averaging 107.1 pitches per game through seven starts -- the fifth-highest total in the league -- according to MLB.com.

But Darvish, who has 72 Ks over 45 2/3 innings for an average of 14.1 K/9, said he is not concerned about his high counts and he could throw up to 200 pitches in a game if needed. He has exceeded 110 pitches three times this year with a high of 127.

"I have no plans to change my pitching style; I'm not concerned about my pitch counts," Darvish said Thursday. "I don't look for strikeouts or go for strikeouts. I know my pitching coaches are concerned about my pitch counts because of all the strikeouts. But as long as I have four days to rest, I don't care how many pitches I throw."