2012 » the Tigers were thrashed 4-1 at home. 15.

HOUSTON -- With every swing and miss, this looked as if it might be the day Yu Darvish pitched a no-hitter against the overmatched Houston Astros. And then with one out in the eighth inning, Carlos Corporan ended Darvishs latest bid with a home run. Darvish once again neared perfection versus Houston, striking out a career-high 15 and permitting only one hit in eight innings as the Texas Rangers won 2-1 Monday for their season-high eighth straight victory. "A wins a win," Darvish said through a translator. "Im just glad I was a big part of this win." Texas won for the 13th time in 14 games and headed home atop the AL West. In early April, Darvish (12-5) was one out away from a perfect game at Minute Maid Park before Marwin Gonzalez singled between his legs. Darvish joined Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers in team history to have more than one start of at least eight innings with one hit or less. Darvish became the first pitcher to have two no-hitters broken up in the eighth inning or later since it happened to Justin Verlander in 2011. Outfielder Alex Rios chased Corporans drive to the wall, but had to watch as it sailed about five rows into the stands. Darvish simply looked around, and then wiped his brow with his arm before preparing to throw his next pitch. "Well, Id like to see it happen of course," manager Ron Washington said. "But those are professional hitters over there, too, and Corporan caught one." Until the homer, Houstons lone runner came when rookie Jonathan Villar drew a two-out walk on a full count in the sixth. Texas catcher A.J. Pierzynski was ejected for arguing with plate umpire Ron Kulpa about a 2-2 breaking pitch he called low -- Pierzynski was tossed after Villar walked. "Was it a strike? I dont know," Pierzynski said. "Obviously I thought it was and Ron didnt, and I was upset we walked the guy and I said a bad word and I was ejected." Darvish was perplexed by the actions of his catcher. "When he got ejected, I thought, What is he doing?" Darvish said with a laugh. The two-time All-Star ace from Japan was sharp all game, retiring the last two batters in eighth and exiting after increasing his major league-leading strikeout total to 207. "He used everything today: slider, curveball, cutter, fastball," Washington said. "He moved it around, kept them off-balance. When they were looking for breaking balls he was throwing fastballs and cutters and when they were looking for cutters he was throwing breaking balls." "I was pretty locked in," he said. Darvish struck out 14 in four prior games this year, including his earlier gem at Houston. His 15 strikeouts on Monday matched his career-high from his professional career in Japan. He is 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA and 37 strikeouts in three starts in Houston this season, and is 4-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 50 strikeouts in five starts since returning from the disabled list. Joe Nathan pitched a perfect ninth for his 35th save. The AL West-leading Rangers took a quick lead over the last-place Astros. With two outs in the first, Ian Kinsler and Adrian Beltre doubled and Pierzynski hit an RBI single off Brett Oberholtzer (2-1). Oberholtzer yielded seven hits and two runs with six strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings for his first loss in three major league starts. The Houston hitters had no such luck with Darvish. Darvish was strong from the start relying mostly on a four-seam fastball, sliders and a cutter against the Astros inexperienced lineup. "He doesnt just have control. This guy has command," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "He can throw every pitch the way he wants to throw it, even out of the strike zone. Which, when you have that kind of repertoire, youre going to be up against it." He struck out the side in the first inning before getting two fly outs and a ground out in the second. The 26-year-old righty fanned two each in the third and fourth innings, struck out the side in the fifth and the first batter of the sixth inning. His strikeout of Chris Carter to start the fifth was his 200th of the season, giving him a team record for fewest games (23) needed to reach the mark. In the sixth, Darvish started walking off the mound after his close pitch to Villar. Pierzynski also began heading to the dugout, but Kulpa said it missed. Pierzynski didnt like the call. After the walk, started yelling in Kulpas face and was quickly tossed. Geovany Soto took over at catcher. Darvish, a two-time MVP in Japan, flirted with perfection last Sept. 3, too, retiring the first 17 batters at Kansas City. NOTES: Injured Texas DH Lance Berkman is getting Monday off and will DH for Double-A Frisco on Tuesday and Wednesday and will be re-evaluate him after that. ... Neftali Feliz, who was expected to throw Saturday for Round Rock but did not pitch as a precaution because of mild right arm triceps tendinitis, has been shut down. Feliz has been rehabbing from Tommy John surgery last year. ... Darvish set rookie franchise records for wins (16) and strikeouts (221) last season. He finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind winner Mike Trout and Oakland outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Cheap Air Max 90 Wholesale .Mack, a reserve guard who came in averaging 3.8 points, made all six of his 3-pointers as the Hawks went 16 for 28 from behind the arc.Trailing 50-38 midway through the second quarter, Atlanta outscored Cleveland 89-48 the rest of the way and sent the Cavaliers to their largest loss of the season. Cheap Air Max 90 Free Shipping . Beckham says "nothing has been confirmed yet, but its something I am very excited about." He adds that "Miami is something that really excites me because there is a great energy down there. http://www.airmax90clearance.com/ . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Wholesale Air Max 90 . -- Manchester United thrilled a record crowd with a brilliant opening goal -- and even Cristiano Ronaldos unexpected entrance proved futile for Real Madrid. Cheap Air Max 90 . - The fiancee of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez is set to ask a judge to throw out allegations that she lied to a grand jury.TSN.ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. Rankings were weighted evenly between separate lists made by TSN.cas soccer editors. 1. Chelsea (Last Week-1) For 51 minutes Chelsea searched for a breakthrough against Fulham. Enter Andre Schurrle who would hit in the 52nd, 65th and 68th minutes to capture a 3-1 victory to expand Chelseas lead at the top of the table. 2. Liverpool (LW-3) Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard were all on target as Liverpool rolled to a convincing 3-0 victory over Southampton. Despite the dominance, keeper Simon Mignolet was forced to make a few big stops to keep his clean sheet. 3. Manchester City (LW-2) Did not play this week due to participation in the Capital One Cup. 4. Arsenal (LW-4) Arsenals title challenge took a step backwards as they fell 1-0 to Stoke City at Britannia Stadium. The difference was a penalty awarded when Laurent Koscielny was penalized for playing the ball with his arm in the defensive area. 5. Tottenham (LW-5) Roberto Soldado scored in the first half and Tottenham rode that marker to a 1-0 victory over Cardiff City at White Hart Lane. Hugo Lloris picked up the clean sheet in the victory. 6. Everton (LW-7) After a month on the sidelines, Romelu Lukaku returned to action and as a substitute scored the only goal as Everton defeated West Ham 1-0. 7. Manchester United (LW-6) Game rescheduled due to opponents participation in Capital One Cup. 8. Newcastle United (LW-8) A 4-1 victory for Newcastle over Hull has been overshadowed by the actions of manager Alan Pardew. After Hull midfielder David Meyler pushed him aside to get a ball that had gone out of bounds, Pardew confronted and then head butted Meyler. The Newcastle boss was sent off for the incident, immediately fined by the team and charged with violent conduct by the FA in the aftermath. 9. Southampton (LW-9) Southampton got all they could handle and more in a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Liverpool. The Saints saw time on the ball but were not able to generate any offence, thouugh they had chances.dddddddddddd 10. Aston Villa (LW-14) After falling behind in the third minute, a Christian Benteke brace, a goal from Leandro Bacuna and an own goal by Sebastien Bassong, all before the half, led Aston Villa to a 4-1 victory over Norwich. 11. Stoke City (LW-15) Jonathan Walters converted a 76th minute penalty to provide Stoke with their margin of victory in a 1-0 triumph over Arsenal. The penalty was given thanks to a Laurent Koscielny handball in the box. 12. West Ham United (LW-10) West Ham looked like they were on their way to a solid road point when they conceded the winning marker, 10 minutes from time in a 1-0 loss to Everton. 13. Swansea City (LW- 12) It looked like Jonathan De Guzmans first half marker was going to be enough to lead the Swans to victory before Crystal Palace was awarded a penalty in the 82nd minute which they converted in a 1-1 draw. 14. Hull City (LW-11) In a game that will be remembered for a contentious incident between Hull City midfielder David Meyler and Newcastle head coach Alan Pardew, the Tigers were thrashed 4-1 at home. 15. Norwich City (LW-13) After a third minute Wesley Hoolahan goal gave Norwich a lead over Aston Villa, they crumbled to a 4-1 defeat. All four goals they conceded, including a 41st minute own goal, were all scored before the half. 16. Crystal Palace (LW-17) Glenn Murray converted a penalty in the 82nd minute to rescue a point for Crystal Palace in a 1-1 draw with Swansea City. 17. West Bromwich Albion (LW-16) Game rescheduled due to opponents participation in Capital One Cup. 18. Sunderland (LW-18) Did not play this week due to participation in the Capital One Cup. 19. Fulham (LW-19) John Heitingas 74th minute consolation goal was all Fulham could manage in a 3-1 loss at the hands of Chelsea. 20. Cardiff City (LW-20) Ole Gunnar Solskjaers side slumped to another defeat as they continue to battle relegation, falling this time 1-0 at the hands of Tottenham. The loss leaves the Welsh side three points from 17th place and with the second worst differential in the league. ' ' '