Darvish homers in Rangers' victory
CINCINNATI -- Yu Darvish hit his first career home run while earning a no-decision and Adrian Beltre drove in the eventual winning run with a double in the eighth, lifting the Texas Rangers to a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park.
The Rangers earned a split of the two-game interleague series and lead the Seattle Mariners by 6 1/2 games in the American League West.
Left-hander Jake Diekman (4-2) earned the victory.
Darvish didn't allow a hit until the fifth and wound up yielding five runs (three earned), four hits and five walks while striking out five.
But Cincinnati, which is 22-15 since the All-Star break -- the second-best record in the major leagues, rallied from a three-run deficit to hand Darvish a no-decision.
The Reds' Ramon Cabrera stroked a ground-rule double to center to drive in a run and make it 5-4 in the sixth. Pinch hitter Ivan De Jesus Jr. drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
Texas regained the lead in the eighth on Beltre's two-out RBI double off Blake Wood. It was career hit No. 2,900 for Beltre.
Wood (5-2) took the loss.
Sam Dyson pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 28th save.
After being shut out Tuesday night, the Rangers finally broke through against Reds pitching in the second inning when Nomar Mazara launched a three-run homer off Tim Adleman to put Texas ahead 3-0. It was Mazara's 15th home run this season.
Darvish had an unusual second inning.
He hit a batter, walked two and allowed two runs, although one was earned.
Despite not getting a hit in the inning, Cincinnati scored on a fielder's choice grounder and a passed ball to cut its deficit to 3-2.
Darvish still hadn't allowed a hit through four innings.
Cincinnati had a couple close calls.
Brandon Phillips hit one to the wall in center in the second. Scott Schebler's liner was snared by first baseman Mitch Moreland in the fourth.
With two outs in the fifth, Darvish did the unthinkable when he crushed a 1-2 pitch from Adleman on to the grassy knoll in center. It was Darvish's third career hit. Ian Desmond followed immediately with his 21st home run to give the Rangers a 5-2 lead.
Adleman allowed five runs (four earned) and three homers in five innings.
Cincinnati's first hit came with one out in the fifth when pinch-hitter Tony Renda singled.
NOTES: Rangers manager Jeff Banister said there's a "good chance" that OF Carlos Gomez, who signed a minor-league deal with the club last weekend, will join the team Thursday. Gomez is batting .308 in three games with Triple-A Round Rock. ... Reds SS Zack Cozart, who has missed eight games with swelling in his left Achilles, took ground balls on the field Wednesday. He's not expected back until the weekend. ... 1B Joey Votto is on track to become the first Reds batter to hit .400 or better in consecutive months since Vada Pinson in 1961.