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The Rangers ultimately lost this stupid baseball game. However, for most of the game, it appeared that they were going to lose in an even worse way and make me even more mad.
Here's what the Post Game Thread would have looked like if Robinson Chirinos hadn't hit a game-tying home run in the eighth:
I think we just witnessed peak Yu Darvish Start™. You know, a great performance by an outstanding pitcher that is somehow made frustrating as hell. The Rangers specialize in ruining Yu Darvish in the most infuriating ways.
Look, Darvish has a dinger problem in 2017, there's no doubt about that. Two starts ago, Jose Bautista ruined a nice outing with a three run homer and last week it was Carlos Correa. Tonight Darvish gave up three hits all night and two of them came off the bat of Jay Bruce and each one of those found the seats.
Other than those two homers, the only other blemishes on Darvish's ledger tonight was a walk issued to Wilmer Flores and a hit by pitch off Michael Conforto. Conforto scored on Bruce's first home run.
Darvish tossed 117 pitches overall over his 7 1/3 innings of work. His final pitch ended up a single by Juan Lagares. So, sure, Darvish isn't blameless. However, no matter how the Mets scored three runs, it doesn't excuse the fact that the Rangers only scored one especially when they had their boot on the throats of the Mets in the early innings.
Texas loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning and scored just one run, ultimately their only run of the night. In the third, Texas had two on and nobody out and if you read the previous sentence, you know that they did not score.
It was at this point of my angry typing that Chirinos hit a game-tying home run. Home runs are the truth.
Of course, because nothing is ever good, in the top of the ninth Matt Bush allowed a run and the Mets won anyway but whatever at least it wasn't pinned on Yu Darvish who pitched his balls off for our stupid amusement and it was squandered as it so often is.
Player of the Game: Yu Darvish's line: 7 1/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 9 K, 1 BB. Free Yu Darvish.
Up Next: The Rangers have another day off before beginning a series in Washington, DC against the Nationals. Andrew Cashner will get the first crack at hitting in the opener under NATIONAL LEAGUE RULES on Friday night.