Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish was nearly flawless Friday, but ultimately fell one out short of a no-hitter for the second time in his career in an 8-0 win over the Red Sox.
Darvish opened the game with 6 2/3 perfect innings, though he might have received a bit of home cooking from the scorekeeper in keeping his no-hitter alive in the seventh inning. He allowed his first ball to fall in for what could have been a hit to David Ortiz, but it was ruled an error after falling between two defenders in right field.
Having lost his bid for a perfect game, Darvish finished 8 2/3 innings of no-hit ball before facing Ortiz again for the final out. Ortiz, facing the usual extreme shift on the right side of the infield, pulled the ball through the shift and into right field for the first official hit of the game.
Darvish ultimately allowed one hit and a pair of walks in 8 2/3 innings before being pulled. He tossed a season-high 125 pitches, striking out 12 batters in the win.
Darvish has come close to a no-hitter before, completing eight innings of one-hit ball three times in his career. He previously came within one out of the feat in his season debut in 2013, with the no-hit bid ending in similar fashion.
Darvish has been among the best pitchers in baseball yet again this season, and Friday's performance might have been his signature game. He is 3-1 with a 2.33 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings of work over seven starts. He will try to follow up Friday's gem in his next trip to the mound, set for Wednesday at Houston.