ARLINGTON, Texas — Yu Darvish struck out nine and the Texas Rangers beat Oakland 6-2 on Wednesday night, giving the right-hander his first victory in his last 11 starts against the AL West-rival Athletics.
Darvish (4-3) had a demonstrative show of emotion, pumping his fist and letting out a shout, after striking out Coco Crisp to end the seventh inning. Darvish came back for the eighth, but was pulled after Danny Valencia's leadoff double.
Crisp struck out three times after homering on the second pitch of the game. Jake Smolinski went deep leading off the fifth for the only other run off Darvish.
All-Star center fielder Ian Desmond and recently acquired Jonathan Lucroy each had three RBIs as the AL-best Rangers completed a three-game series sweep.
Darvish's only win against the A's had been in his first start against them on May 16, 2012, which was only his eighth game in the majors after the previous seven seasons in Japan. He went 0-8 with a 5.24 ERA over the next 10 starts against Oakland, including a no-decision three weeks ago against the only opponent that has more than three wins against him.
Lucroy's homer in the fourth was his seventh in 15 games since being traded to Texas from Milwaukee on Aug. 1, and his career-high 20th overall for the season.
Desmond had a two-run single in the fifth for a 3-2 lead against rookie lefty Sean Manaea (4-8), and put the Rangers ahead to stay.
Sports
The Rangers added three runs in the seventh, on an RBI single by Desmond before Lucroy's two-run double.
