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Darvish gets nod for Rangers in Oakland

Jun 17, 2014 - 2:59 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Yu Darvish has not had a lot of success against Oakland, but the Texas hurler certainly has momentum on his side.

Coming off the first shutout of his career, Darvish gets the call on Tuesday night as the Rangers resume a three-game series with the rival Athletics.

The 27-year-old Darvish notched the first complete game of his major league career on Wednesday, a six-hit shutout of Miami. He walked three batters and struck out 10, his fourth double-digit strikeout game in his last six outings.

Darvish won his fourth straight start and the victory kick started Texas' current 4-1 stretch.

"He certainly gave us what we needed," Rangers manager Ron Washington said of his starter.

The right-hander is 7-2 with a 2.11 earned run average on the year, fanning 101 in 85 1/3 innings, and is a perfect 4-0 on the road with a 2.10 ERA.

However, Darvish comes into this outing only 1-7 in his career against Oakland with a 4.73 ERA. He is 0-1 in two meetings this season, giving up seven runs in 9 1/3 innings.

Athletics' hurler Tommy Milone has had similar luck in this series, going 1-4 with a 4.97 ERA in seven games against the Rangers. He has faced them once previously this year, allowing three runs over six innings at home on April 22 without a decision.

Milone has gone 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA in seven starts since his last loss on May 3 and has not given up more than three runs in any of those games. The 27- year-old lefty is coming off a 7-1 road win over the Los Angeles Angels, yielding a run on six hits and two walks over 6 2/3 frames.

Milone is now 4-3 with a 3.47 ERA on the year and will try to draw the A's even in this set after they got outslugged 14-8 in Monday's opener.

Oakland, which had won three of four coming in, did trail 11-3 at one point before it got things going late. Brandon Moss hit a solo homer in the fifth inning and Yoenis Cespedes did the bulk of the damage in a four-run sixth inning with a home run that brought in three runs.

It wasn't enough though as starter Drew Pomeranz was pulled with two outs in the fourth inning and was charged for eight runs -- seven earned -- on eight hits and a pair of walks.

"Just not as good tonight," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Pomeranz. "Wasn't hitting the glove like we've seen before."

Donnie Murphy hit two home runs for the Rangers, Robinson Chirinos also went deep and drove in three runs, while Adrian Beltre finished with three RBI.

"We needed every run," Washington said.

Colby Lewis got the win despite giving up five runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings of work.

These two clubs came into this series having split six meetings, with each team sweeping the other in the opposing ballpark.