I feel like if TAG were in the booth for this game he'd say that sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the opposing pitcher. And it's true, Kansas City starter Danny Duffy was good for the Royals tonight.
Texas had their chances though as Ian Desmond was up with the bases loaded in the 3rd and couldn't get that big hit he's been so good at collecting all season. Later, in the 7th, the Rangers had runners at the corners for a pinch-hitting Mitch Moreland and couldn't plate a run.
And so, for only the fourth time in this entire terrible month, the Rangers failed to score at least three runs. Three runs would have been enough to send this one to extras, take Yu Darvish off the hook, and give the Rangers a chance to win the opener of this series.
Instead, the offensive output came from a lone solo home run off the bat of Rougned Odor. Of the four games the Rangers have failed to score at least three runs this month, two of them have come in Yu Darvish's two starts this month.
Darvish wasn't crisp at the start of the game, with the Royals capitalizing on Yu's inability to hold runners to steal bases, which is why it was 3-0 KC after three innings, but the fact is, the Rangers got their best start in almost a week and couldn't bring home the runs to support it.
Player of the Game: Yu Darvish threw 91 pitches to get through six innings while allowing two earned runs and striking out 11 KC Royals. For this team, that's a godsend of a start and the Rangers couldn't capitalize on it with any sort of offense. This one felt like a 2013 Darvish start.
Up Next: Cole Hamels starts for the Rangers so perhaps the losing streak will come to a close once again. The Royals will counter with RHP Yordano Ventura. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 pm CT.