The Juice: Yu Darvish vs. Justin Verlander wasn’t the pitching duel we thought, Rangers win 10-4

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Yu Darvish threw 130 pitches. Justin Verlander gave up seven runs in the third inning, his most ever in a single inning. Darvish threw 36 pitches in the third. There were four home runs and two bases-loaded walks (both by Verlander).

In short: Darvish vs. Verlander wasn't the pitcher's duel many people were hoping for. The Rangers won the game 10-4, with 11 of the 14 total runs scored in the first three innings. It was reminiscent of an NFL game between two stellar defenses that ends up 42-21.

Said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, per MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan:

Still, Darvish had his moments. Like the video above of him making Miguel Cabrera whiff on a 62 MPH curve ball. Darvish improved to 7-1 on the season, pitching eight innings and striking out six. Verlander, meanwhile, fell to 4-4 after pitching only 2 2/3 innings. It raised ERA to 3.17 on the season. No more "Nasty Nine."

Red Sox win after ninth-inning rally: Alex Cobb turned in a good start for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. He pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up only one run on three hits and leaving with a 3-1 lead. When the Red Sox got the top of the ninth, facing closer Fernando Rodney, that's when things turned upside down for the Rays.

Rodney — who was lights out last season, but as been struggling as of late — loaded the bases with three walks, but struck out two. Will Middlebrooks was at the plate with two strikes against him. That's when he lined a Rodney changeup into left-center for a three run double. That 3-1 Rays lead became a 4-3 deficit that they couldn't overcome in the bottom of the ninth.

MORE SCORES

Reds 5, Marlins 3: Cincinnati scores three in the 10th inning to sweep the Marlins. Juan Pierre, above, started things off well for Miami — with a crazy catch in the first inning, then a homer in his first at-bat.

Nationals 6, Padres 2: Stephen Strasburg gets his second win of the season (first since opening day!) in his return to his hometown. Bryce Harper homers too.

White Sox 5, Angels 4: The White Sox score three in the eighth to rally past the Angels — including a bases-loaded, go-ahead walk. Ouch.

Giants 8, Rockies 6: Matt Cain gives up six runs in the first three innings. Good thing the Giants got him eight.

Pirates 7, Brewers 1: Francisco Liriano, in his second game of the season for the Pirates, now has as many wins at Strasburg.

Mariners 3, Yankees 2: Not only did the Yanks lose the Mariners, they lost Andy Pettitte and Chris Stewart to injury.

Mets 5, Cardinals 2: The Mets snap their six-game losing streak, as Daniel Murphy goes 4-for-4, including that vanishing double.

— Brandon Belt on Giants teammate Hunter Pence's encouragement before the team scored five runs in the fourth inning.

Bryce Harper — helmet flyin', hair standin' up, face crunched — is thrown out trying to advance to second on a fielder's choice. Remember, world, he's never going to stop playing hard.

• Stephen Strasburg, whose pitch count has always been a hot topic, pitched into the eighth inning for the first time in his MLB career on Thursday.

• Jeff Keppinger's bases loaded walk in the eighth inning to put the White Sox ahead of the Angels was his first walk of the season. In 141 plate appearances.

• The Giants have beat the Rockies in 10 straight games.

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