Yu Darvish's return: 5 IP, one run

Yu Darvish's return was a successful one, as he allowed just 1 run and 3 hits over 5 innings in his first major league start since being sidelined with a torn UCL hat necessitated Tommy John surgery in March, 2014.

The Texas Rangers righthander, facing off against the Pittsburgh Pirates this evening, allowed a single to John Jaso to start off the game, but only allowed two more hits the rest of the way.  Darvish struck out seven batters, and the lone run scored on a single, a stolen base, and another single in the fifth inning.  Darvish was replaced in the top of the sixth by Tony Barnette.

Darvish looked like the Darvish of old, and other than being lifted after five innings and 81 pitches, he appeared to have no after-effects from the surgery or the layoff.  Yu Darvish definitely looked like the ace we remember him being pre-surgery.