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Rangers burned
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Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus leaps high to snag a throw from catcher Yorvit Torrealba as Cleveland Indians’ Shin-Soo Choo steals second in the second inning of a game in Cleveland on Sunday.
Associated Press
CLEVELAND
A glaring problem cost Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers.
Ubaldo Jimenez pitched seven scoreless innings and Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run double after the Rangers lost an infield popup in the sun as the Cleveland Indians handed Darvish his first major league loss, 4-2 Sunday.
Jason Kipnis homered off Darvish (4-1), who struck out a career-high 11 over six innings. Jimenez (3-2) walked four in the first three innings but settled down and permitted only two hits.
Johnny Damon’s pop fell for a leadoff single in the third, leading to a three-run inning.
“If the ball goes into the sun, what can you do?” Darvish said through an interpreter.
“If this was the first loss ever in my life, I would feel different,” he said. “But I have experienced many losses. So now, I just prepare for my next game.”
Darvish signed a $56 million, six-year contract with Texas in January. The Rangers also bid nearly $52 million to gain negotiating rights to the 25-year-old right-hander, who was 93-38 with a 1.99 ERA in Japan.
“He pitched well enough to keep us in the game, but we didn’t support him with runs,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “Sometimes you can throw well and not get results.”
Chris Perez pitched the ninth for his 11th consecutive save. He allowed one hit and was helped by a diving catch by right fielder Shin-Soo Choo on a sinking liner by pinch-hitter Adrian Beltre.
The Indians took the series from the two-time defending AL champions, who went 21-4 against them the previous three seasons. Cleveland has won three straight series and leads the AL Central.
“We played a terrific series,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “Anytime you take two of three from a team like that, it’s very encouraging.”