ARLINGTON, Texas — Geovany Soto ended Justin Verlander’s night with a three-run homer that capped a seven-run third, and Yu Darvish lasted eight innings even though an anticipated pitching duel fizzled in the Texas Rangers’ 10-4 victory against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.
Soto’s drive just over the wall in left field came after Verlander walked in two runs — he had three previous bases-loaded walks in his career. Mitch Moreland’s two-out double broke a 3-all tie before Soto’s drive put Texas ahead 8-3.
Darvish (7-1) won his fifth straight decision despite allowing two home runs for the third start in a row. Baseball’s strikeout leader needed a career-high 130 pitches and matched his season low of six strikeouts.
Verlander (4-4) gave up six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings, his shortest outing since going two innings in a 14-6 loss to the New York Mets on June 22, 2010.
The 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young winner had allowed just four earned runs in four previous starts at Rangers Ballpark. It was actually the second time in Verlander’s last 16 starts dating to last season that he’s allowed eight runs, his career high. He did it in a 9-8 loss to Kansas City last August.
Right after the Texas outburst, Darvish gave up a homer to Jhonny Peralta, but retired 15 of the final 16 Tigers he faced, including the last 10.
MARINERS 3, YANKEES 2
NEW YORK — Andy Pettitte and Chris Stewart became the latest Yankees to get hurt, and emergency Seattle starter Hector Noesi pitched into the fifth inning in place of ailing Aaron Harang to lead the Mariners over New York.
Pettitte (4-3) left after 4 2-3 innings because of an injured back muscle near his left shoulder. New York said Pettitte hurt his trapezius muscle, and there was no immediate word on his prognosis.
Chris Stewart, who took over as the Yankees’ starting catcher when Francisco Cervelli broke a hand last month, limped off after the seventh inning and was replaced by Austin Romine.
Harang, Seattle’s scheduled starter, felt a twinge in his back Wednesday and notified the Mariners, who in turn told Noesi to prepare for his first big league start of the season.
RED SOX 4, RAYS 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Will Middlebrooks had a three-run double off closer Fernando Rodney with two outs in the ninth inning that lifted the Red Sox past the Rays.
Middlebrooks lined a shot to left on a 1-2 pitch from Rodney (1-2) with the base loaded, giving the Red Sox the lead. Rodney, who blew just two saves last year, is 7 for 10 in save opportunities this year.
After walking Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, Rodney struck out Mike Napoli before loading the bases with a walk to Daniel Nava. Stephen Drew struck out, but Middlebrooks then came up with his bases-clearing hit.
NATIONALS 6, PADRES 2
SAN DIEGO — Stephen Strasburg pitched a career-high eight innings against his hometown Padres, and Bryce Harper and Adam LaRoche homered to lead the Nationals past the Padres.
Strasburg’s 54th big league start was his first professional appearance at Petco Park. The big right-hander went to high school in suburban Santee and pitched for Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn at San Diego State before the Nationals took him with the first overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft.
He allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits while striking out four and walking three. He got the final out of the eighth on his 117th pitch.
WHITE SOX 5, ANGELS 4
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jeff Keppinger walked with the bases loaded to drive in the go-ahead run — his first base on balls in 141 plate appearances this season — and the White Sox rallied with three runs in the eighth to beat the Angels for their season-high third straight road win.
The Angels’ bullpen wasted a two-run lead as the club lost its second straight and dropped to 8-12 at home.
GIANTS 8, ROCKIES 6
DENVER — Angel Pagan broke a tie with a two-run single in the sixth, Matt Cain settled down after a shaky start and the Giants won their 10th straight over Colorado, rallying from a six-run deficit to beat the Rockies.
Brandon Crawford added a three-run double to help San Francisco, and Marco Scutaro extended his hitting streak to 15 games.
METS 5, CARDINALS 2
ST. LOUIS — Daniel Murphy and David Wright combined for five hits and three RBIs against Adam Wainwright and the Mets snapped a six-game losing streak with a victory over the Cardinals.
Jonathan Niese (3-4) allowed two runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings, his longest outing of the season.
REDS 5, MARLINS 3 (10)
MIAMI — NL RBI leader Brandon Phillips homered in the sixth inning and drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly, helping the Reds complete their second three-game sweep in a row by beating the Marlins.
Mat Latos and two relievers combined on a six-hitter.
PIRATES 7, BREWERS 1
PITTSBURGH — Travis Snider homered for the first time in nine months and drove in three runs to lead the Pirates past the reeling Brewers.
Snider finished 3-for-5, including a 458-foot blast off Hiram Burgos (1-2) in the sixth inning that gave the Pirates the lead.
