Darvish gets rough welcome to major league baseball

Yu Darvish did not get a dream debut, but he kept his nerve and his Texas teammates ensured the Japanese star got a win in his first Major League Baseball start.

Darvish, a two-time Japan League Most Valuable Player with the Nippon Ham Fighters, was tagged for five runs in the first two innings against the Mariners before the Texas Rangers rallied for an 11-5 victory.

Struggling with his command, Darvish gave up four runs in a 42-pitch first inning and surrendered another run in the second frame -- when he gave up two doubles.

Overall Darvish allowed five runs on eight hits and four walks. He struck out five, and four of the hits came against Japanese batters. Ichiro Suzuki was 3-for-4 off him, and Munenori Kawasaki was 1-for-2 with a walk.

It was a less than dazzling beginning for a player acquired prior to this season for a total of $107.7 million -- $56 million for his six-year deal and the rest just for the right to negotiate with him.

However, Darvish settled down to pitch 5 2/3 innings, departing with two outs in the sixth to a standing ovation with the Rangers leading 8-5.

Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer in the third for Texas. Mitch Moreland and Josh Hamilton both homered in the fourth and Ian Kinsler added a three-run blast in the eighth.

"Just like you saw tonight, those guys are incredible. Just incredible," Darvish said of the offensive firepower demonstrated by his new teammates.

Darvish opened his highly anticipated major league debut by walking Chone Figgins on four pitches.

He struck out Dustin Ackley, but Suzuki lifted a high ball into left field for a single.

Justin Smoak singled to right to load the bases and Kyle Seager singled to center to drive home two runs.

A walk to Michael Saunders reloaded the bases, Miguel Olivo's single scored another run before Darvish walked Kawasaki to force home the fourth run of the first frame.

Rangers reliever Scott Feldman was warming up in the bullpen when Darvish got out of the inning by striking out Brendan Ryan and inducing Figgins to ground out.

RBI singles by Michael Young and Cruz brought home two runs for the Rangers in the bottom of the first.

Seattle responded in the top of the second inning with a one-out double by Suzuki, who scored on Seager's double.

Darvish showed his determination, however, as he retired 13 of 16 batters the rest of the way -- including one stretch of 10 straight -- before he was replaced by Alexi Ogando.

"Today was more of a mental battle for me," Darvish said. "I had to stay in there and battle with what I had. I thought whatever I had, if I could string those zeroes together, the offense would come back."

Darvish admitted he couldn't harness his energy in the first inning. Rangers manager Ron Washington knew what the problem was and opted to let his new star try to work through it.

"I wasn't going to go snatch him in the first inning," Washington said. "It seemed like he just couldn't get a hold of his emotions. He was over-amped."

Darvish was already settling after the second inning.

Cruz tied the game in the third with his three-run homer to left field. Moreland belted a two-run homer in the fourth, which was followed by Hamilton's massive solo homer to center.

"Our goal is to do what it takes to win the game and tonight that meant score runs," Kinsler said. "We were able to turn that up and put runs up for him.

"In the first inning to get those two runs to answer and put us close was huge. He felt like he was back in the game. He got a breather."

When Washington did finally head out to the mound to tell Darvish his day was done, the crowd of 42,003 at Rangers Ballpark sent him off to a chant of "Yu-u--u".

Rangers president Nolan Ryan was impressed with the fortitude Darvish displayed after his tough first inning.

"I didn't give him that much of a chance for the pure number of pitches he threw in the first inning and the fact that he didn't have a feel for anything," Ryan said. "He hung in there and looked like a totally different pitcher at the end than he did at the start.

"I look at it as a very positive outing."

No dream debut but Darvish creates buzz in Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas (Reuters) - Ken Hirai has been a loyal fan of Yu Darvish since the pitching sensation was still in high school in Japan, following his career closely and watching his games on television.

On Monday, however, he got to see his idol in person at Texas Rangers Ballpark as Darvish made his Major League debut.

"I flew in from California just for this," Hirai said. "I'm a great fan and I'm so excited to be here."

Hirai was among the crowd of 42,300 to see Darvish's debut on the mound for the Texas Rangers.

The excitement bubbled across the ballpark as fans, many sporting T-shirts and jerseys with Darvish's number 11 on the back, arrived early to catch the 25-year-old pitcher warming up for the evening game.

After winning back-to-back American League Championships but twice falling short of a World Series victory, the Rangers bid more than $51 million for exclusive negotiating rights with Darvish and then signed him to a $60 million, six-year contract.

Darvish darted out of the Rangers bullpen to cheers and a standing ovation.

His fans at Monday's game included hundreds of Japanese Americans and native Japanese who have established fan clubs or traveled long distances to see Darvish's first Major League Baseball pitching start.

Dozens of Japanese media members were also there to carry the game live and report on every detail of his performance.

"Just about everyone in Japan will be up at 5 a.m. to watch the game," said Yuji Tsuji, a native of Japan and New York resident. "In Japan, he was the No. 1 pitcher so everyone wants to follow him and see him play in Texas."

Darvish, who stands 6-feet, five-inches, had a 93-38 career record when he left Japan's Nippon Ham Fighters and his arrival has created a buzz among long-time Rangers fans as well as his Japanese admirers.

"I've been a fan of the Rangers since they were the Senators back in the '70s," said Nedd Ross of Dallas. "Darvish adds another layer of excitement and anticipation to this team."

Takashi Nishizaki and some friends who live in the Dallas area have formed a new fan club and plan to attend most Rangers games when Darvish is on the mound. They were handing out cards to recruit new members.

"This is a very, very big deal for the Rangers and for those of us who have been following him through his career in Japan," Nishizaki said.

Darvish's debut did not quite measure up to the hype. He gave up four runs in the first inning and another in the second but then found his range and picked up the win in the Rangers' 11-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Darvish left the game in the sixth inning and gave up five runs but his loyal fans were not disappointed.

"He was nervous, it was his first time out there," Hirai said. "He'll do better next time."

(Editing by Greg McCune/Peter Rutherford)

Darvish wins ML debut in Rangers' 11-5 win over Ms

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Neftali Feliz pitched seven crisp innings in his first major league start and the Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 1-0 on Tuesday night.

Feliz allowed four hits, struck out four and walked two in his first game since the former closer failed to hold a two-run lead in Game 6 of the World Series. The Cardinals won in seven games.

This time, Feliz watched the bullpen close it out. Mike Adams pitched a perfect eighth inning, and Joe Nathan did the same in the ninth for his second save.

Feliz was a shade better than Blake Beavan, who was pitching for the first time in the ballpark where he grew up watching the Rangers.

David Murphy had three hits and drove in the only run with an infield single in the second inning.

Feliz didn't have a strikeout after the fifth inning, and relied heavily on off-speed pitches instead of the 100-mph heat he used to get 72 saves over two seasons.

Feliz's pitch count was past 100 when he had runners at first and third with two outs in the seventh. Miguel Olivo hit a comebacker that Feliz bobbled, but he recovered just in time to beat Olivo's headfirst slide at first.

Like Yu Darvish a night earlier, Feliz let two of the first three hitters reach base — both on walks — but settled down much more quickly than the Japanese sensation. Starting with a double play, Feliz retired nine consecutive batters before allowing his first hit in 59 at-bats over 19 2-3 career innings against Seattle, a two-out single by former Ranger Justin Smoak in the fourth.

Beavan, a first-round pick by the Rangers in 2007, was almost as good. The Dallas-area high school product allowed six hits in 6 1-3 innings and pitched out of trouble in the fifth and sixth. He left with runners at first and second, but Tom Wilhelmsen escaped the jam.

Texas grabbed the lead in the second. Adrian Beltre led off with a double but was caught between second and third on a grounder back to Beavan. He stayed in the rundown long enough for Michael Young to get to second. Young then moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Murphy's infield hit.

NOTES: Mariners manager Eric Wedge benched SS Brendan Ryan for a game, saying it was over issues of "accountability." He didn't specify, but did say it wasn't solely because of an errant throw on a double-play ball that sparked the Texas rally that bailed out Darvish in his debut. Munenori Kawasaki started in Ryan's place. ... Jesus Montero was back in the Mariners' lineup as the DH after missing a game with a stomach ailment. ... Darvish and Feliz became the first back-to-back Texas pitchers to make their first major league start since Matt Harrison and Warner Madrigal did it in July 2008. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Darvish was the first pitcher in more than 100 years to win his major league debut after allowing at least four runs in the first inning.