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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Decisions, decisions, decisions.

The Rangers have quite a few to make as they enter their first offseason in four years without a postseason game.

Will Nelson Cruz be back? How about Joe Nathan? Others, such as catchers A.J. Pierzynski and Geovany Soto, outfielder David Murphy and pitcher Matt Garza will be discussed ad nauseam before the winter meetings in December in Orlando.

Manager Ron Washington touched on the big ones -- Cruz and Nathan -- during his postmortem press conference Tuesday morning, 12 hours after the Rangers lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 in the American League tiebreaker game. He and general manager Jon Daniels and the rest of the brain trust will sit down at some point and go over all the options.

The big one is Cruz. He was suspended for the final 50 games of the regular season for violation of Major League Baseball's Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Cruz has to shoulder a portion of the blame for the Rangers' not making a stronger push for the AL West title, as they gave it up to Oakland in the final month.

The Rangers were disappointed by Cruz's decision-making and suspension, but they also know there's a lack of right-handed power hitters in the major leagues, and the minors too. The Rangers are likely to make Cruz a qualifying offer of about $13.5 million.

Washington, for one, would welcome Cruz back.

“When you think about a Nelson Cruz, who wouldn’t want a Nelson Cruz?" Washington said. "Big heart, great teammate, but there’s a lot of decisions to be made on our part and Nelson’s part. I do believe Jon Daniels will go down that road and see where it works or doesn’t work."

Then there's Nathan. The Rangers have a $9.5 million option on him for 2014, with a $750,000 buyout, a contract that Nathan can void and become a free agent. Nathan, 38, made it clear all season that he expects to pitch for several more years and will seek a multiyear deal.

Nathan blew three saves this season and finished with 43 saves. He may walk the tightrope sometimes, which drives the fan base crazy, but he's reliable and gets the job done.

“I thought Joe Nathan had a tremendous year,” Washington said. “I think at the end of the year, Joe Nathan proved to everyone that doubted him what he was made of, and I certainly would love to continue giving him the ball because he gets outs.”

There will be other decisions. Both Pierzynski and Soto would like to return, but the Rangers may set their sights on free-agent-to-be Brian McCann.

They gave up a lot for Garza, including pitcher C.J. Edwards -- who pitched tremendously for the Cubs in the minors after the trade. Is that reason enough to bring Garza back? Did he show enough despite going through a maddening stretch in August and September?

Whatever happens, this will be a fascinating offseason, one in which Daniels and his staff will have to make their mark.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- They did it, rallying past the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 on Sunday afternoon.

Seven must-win games. Done.

With no margin for error, just enough to get the Texas Rangers into Game 163 on Monday night against the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League wild-card tiebreak game.

Win that one and it's off to Cleveland for the wild-card game on Wednesday night against the Indians. Win that one and then it's on to Boston for the American League Divisional Series starting Friday against the Red Sox.

Basically, the Rangers need to come through in two more elimination games to keep on going in the postseason. They should have all the momentum in the world after doing it seven times, right?

"I believe in [momentum]," said catcher Geovany Soto, who drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning. "I believe the team is coming together more than ever."

The Rangers found themselves in another grind-it-out kind of game on Sunday. They trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the fifth after Yu Darvish allowed a home run to Mike Trout with two outs in the first inning.

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ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Rangers will play another day.

Texas railled from an early 1-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Angels, 6-2, on Sunday afternoon at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, clinching a spot in the American League wild-card play-in game against the Tampa Bay Rays at 7:07 p.m. Monday in Arlington.

The Rangers won seven straight games, all at home, to keep their postseason dream alive.

Soto's clutch hit: The Rangers responded after giving up the lead in the top of the sixth. With the score tied at 2-2, Adrian Beltre started a two-out uprising with a single to right field. A.J. Pierzynski followed with a bloop single to right field. That brought up Geovany Soto, who has been on a late-season tear. Soto ripped an RBI double into center field to score Beltre for a 3-2 lead. Soto also had a home run in the top of the ninth. Soto is 13-for-31 with three home runs and seven RBIs in his last 10 games.

Big insurance run: The Rangers took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh when Craig Gentry had a leadoff single and a stolen base. The Angels brought in Juan Gutierrez in relief and Ian Kinsler grounded the first pitch he saw into left field for a huge insurance run.

Scheppers again: Tanner Scheppers needed just nine pitches to get the top of the Angels' lineup in the top of the eighth. He gave up a leadoff single to J.B. Shuck on a 0-2 pitch, but bounced back by getting Erick Aybar to ground into a double play. Scheppers then got Mike Trout to fly out to right field. Trout is 0-for-4 lifetime against Scheppers.

Beltre goes deep: Beltre is having a tough September and appeared to tweak his left hamstring running the bases in the sixth inning. But he still had the flair dramatic as shown by his home run to center field in the bottom of the eighth to give the Rangers a 5-2 lead. Beltre has two homers on this homestand.

Rangers take lead: The Rangers had trailed 1-0 since the first inning on Mike Trout's two-out home run when they finally took a lead in the fifth. Pierzynski started the bottom of the fifth with a double to center field. Soto then walked and both advanced on Jason Vargas' errant pickoff throw while Mitch Moreland was batting. After Moreland struck out, Gentry lined a two-run single into center field for a 2-1 lead.

Darvish out early: Manager Ron Washington made the very difficult decision of pulling Yu Darvish at 84 pitches in the sixth inning and bringing in Neal Cotts to face Josh Hamilton with two runners on. At issue is Darvish's inability to get a shutdown inning late in the season. With the Rangers leading 2-1 after Gentry's two-run single, Darvish allowed a single to No. 9 hitter Andrew Romine, then got a nifty double play started by Kinsler. Darvish then allowed a single to Aybar and four-pitch walk to Trout. That brought Washington out of the dugout. Darvish has given back the lead in the inning after the Rangers give him the lead in four of his last seven starts. Washington was trying to avoid that.

Hambone hurts Rangers: But Cotts couldn't get out Hamilton. He got ahead of him with a 1-2 count, but tried to go with a high fastball away to the former Ranger, who was able to go upstairs to line a single into left field to tie the game at 2-2.

Gentry gone wild: Gentry was on base three times Sunday with two singles and a walk. He is 15-for-31 in his last nine games.

Up next: The Rangers will play the Tampa Bay Rays in a wild-card play-in game at 7:07 p.m. Monday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Texas will go with left-hander Martin Perez (10-5, 3.55 ERA) while the Rays will counter with left-hander David Price (9-8, 3.39 ERA).

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Rangers aren't revealing anything about what could happen after Sunday in a wild-card play-in game or wild-card game.

Nothing about Nelson Cruz, who wasn't in the Rangers' clubhouse Sunday morning. Nothing about Monday's potential starting pitcher, which on rotation would be Martin Perez.

Not a thing.

"We don't know about anything past today," Washington said.

The Rangers probably have a good idea, they're just not going to say it until after they beat the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. That would mean the season would go on, either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday depending on how Tampa Bay and Cleveland do.

Washington said that everyone is available for Sunday's game, including Perez and potential Wednesday wild-card game starter Matt Garza.

Pierzynski is DH: Washington wanted A.J. Pierzynski in the lineup Sunday against a left-handed starter, so he's the designated hitter with Geovany Soto catching Yu Darvish for the fifth straight game.

"I want A.J.'s bat in there. Period," Washington said. "He's a threat."

Pierzynski is 6-for-24 with four RBIs during the Rangers' six-game winning streak. Soto has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, batting .393 with two home runs and five RBIs.

Darvish forecast: If Washington could have one wish for Darvish's start, he was asked by a reporter if he would want it to be fastball command. He offered another answer.

"I wish that the headlines be, 'Darvish dominates,' in big letters written by you," Washington said.

Washington on Game 162: For the third straight season, the major league season comes down to Game 162 with three teams -- the Rangers, Rays and Indians -- battling for two playoff spots.

It's amazing when you considered the regular season lasts six months and comes down to one day on the schedule.

"When you have the balance that the league has, it happens," Washington said. "This new format makes it exciting. If we had four division winners, it probably wouldn't be. But this gets other teams involved and sometimes you don't have to have that super year to have a chance. That's what I think the commissioner has done with this game and the format we're in. You never know what's going to happen in a one-game playoff. We proved that last year. I'd rather be in that one game than not be in it at all."

Short hops: Craig Gentry's right ankle is doing OK after it was stepped on by Angels' first baseman Mark Trumbo in Saturday's game. Gentry said he will have the ankle taped as usual as he starts for the ninth straight game in left field. ... Rangers TV broadcaster Steve Busby turns 64 today.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Geovany Soto is catching Yu Darvish for the fifth straight game, which means A.J. Pierzynski is the designated hitter.

Josh Hamilton returns to the Los Angeles Angels' lineup after a pinch-hit double Saturday. Here are today's starting lineups for Game 162:

RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
RF Alex Rios
3B Adrian Beltre
DH A.J. Pierzynski
C Geovany Soto
1B Mitch Moreland
LF Craig Gentry
CF Leonys Martin
P Yu Darvish

ANGELS
DH J.B. Shuck
SS Erick Aybar
CF Mike Trout
LF Josh Hamilton
2B Howie Kendrick
RF Kole Calhoun
1B Mark Trumbo
C Hank Conger
3B Andrew Romine
P Jason Vargas

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Geovany Soto is catching Yu Darvish again Tuesday night.

It's an opportunity for Soto to catch a game.

"Anything else I say, I'm going to lead down a path I don't want to go," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Leave it at that."

Washington doesn't want to get into the discussion of Soto as Darvish's personal catcher because he wants the right to change his mind and use A.J. Pierzynski, his starting catcher, at his discretion.

Soto helped Darvish in his last start on Thursday night at Tampa Bay. There's no debating that.

Darvish struggled with his command and was on the verge of coming out of the game several times -- as early as the third inning -- and he made it through five innings to get a win in the Rangers' 8-2 win over the Rays.

"They work well together," Washington said. "If you don't think they work well together, the other night in Tampa proved it. He got him through it."

Soto works hard and watches video. Darvish, who can be emotional on the mound, seems to take some comfort in having Soto behind the plate.

"I try to be very positive and upbeat," Soto said. "You get on some guys. You have to know pitchers have different personalities, so you have to know what to do with who."

Darvish's numbers with each catcher are almost exactly the same. He has a 2.80 ERA throwing to Pierzynski. He has a 2.81 ERA to Soto.

Darvish was 7-1 to start the season with Pierzynski catching most of his games, so Washington doesn't want to hear about Darvish being better with one particular catcher.

"I think that's excuses," Washington said.

Holland goes over 200: Derek Holland went over 200 innings on Monday night. Darvish needs four outs to make it there.

What does reaching that mark mean?

"It means he went deep [into his starts]," Washington said. "As a starter when you go deep, it means you're giving your team a chance."

They have carried the Rangers' staff from a workload standpoint with injuries to Matt Harrison, Colby Lewis, Alexi Ogando and others.

Short hops: Jeff Baker is expected to be the designated hitter on Wednesday against Houston starting left-hander Dallas Keuchel … Holland's seven shutouts are the third most in the majors since the start of the 2009 season. Former teammate Cliff Lee has 10 shutouts, and his current teammate in Philadelphia, Roy Halladay, has nine.

If the Texas Rangers are to make the playoffs, they'll need contributions from just about everybody. But with one week to go in the season and the Rangers right in the middle of a fight for an AL wild-card spot, let's try to narrow that group down to six Rangers who could determine if there will be postseason baseball in Texas in October (this is listed in no particular order):

1: Ian Kinsler. With his offense struggling in September, manager Ron Washington tinkered with his lineup trying to create a spark. In the process, he moved Leonys Martin out of the leadoff spot and inserted Kinsler back in that No. 1 role. Kinsler, as in the past few seasons, has to be a sparkplug for this offense. He has to be the one that gets things going so that it trickles down from there. Adrian Beltre is this team's MVP, if you ask me, but he needs Kinsler to help set the table so Beltre has opportunities to drive him in. Since Kinsler switched back to leadoff two weeks ago, he has six multihit games and eight RBIs. Kinsler can make things happen on the bases, and the Rangers will need that this week.

2: Derek Holland. He pitches tonight in Arlington, Texas, against Houston, a series against the league's worst team that the Rangers must use to their advantage. Holland struggled to start September but allowed just two runs in six innings in a no-decision against the Tampa Bay Rays in his most recent start. He's in a key spot in the rotation this week with his start tonight, and he's slated for Saturday, the penultimate game of the season. Every game this week is big, but it's up to Holland to set the tone tonight and then possibly be in position to keep Texas in it, or give them a chance to claim that wild-card spot, on Saturday. He should have a big say in what happens to this team.

3: A.J. Pierzynski. This is the time of season that having Pierzynski could be even more important. He has postseason experience and knows all about pennant races and playoff chases. He's the guy that must keep this pitching staff calm (it will be Geovany Soto's job to do that with Yu Darvish) as they attempt to navigate through three games with Houston and four with the Angels to try to make the playoffs. Pierzynski's bat, of course, will matter, too. He was one of the few guys actually hitting when the Rangers couldn't buy a run at points this month. They need that stick now, along with his game-calling abilities.

4: Tanner Scheppers. Obviously, Joe Nathan is a key to this team's success as the closer. But he's done the job solidly all season. What matters just as much is getting the game to Nathan, and Scheppers is critical to that. He wasn't able to pitch on Friday in Kansas City after pitching in three straight games, and the Rangers couldn't close out that game after falling behind in the eighth inning. Scheppers has an ERA under 2.00 and has thrown the ball well in key situations. He's going to get some of those this week and must execute.

5: Elvis Andrus. He's becoming a critical leader for this team and also one of its most important hitters. Like Kinsler, the opponent does not want Andrus to get on base because of his speed and baserunning ability. Andrus is one of the few Rangers whose September split is solid. He's batting over .300 for the month, and it seems that when the Rangers do score runs, Andrus is somehow involved (either scoring it or driving it in). He'll need to continue that this week.

6: Gary Pettis. It might seem odd to see the third-base coach on this list, but the reality is that he's already had an impact on several games this month to help this team create runs. The club's issues with scoring runs with regularity this month has been documented constantly. But for a team that has had a power shortage, pushing the envelope on the bases matters. Pettis isn't afraid to get aggressive with runners. He must be smart about it, but that attitude could make the difference in the Rangers getting that extra run they need. Don't overlook his importance as the Rangers run the bases like crazy.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Catcher A.J. Pierzynski says there is one reason he has thrown out 16 of the past 39 baserunners who have tried to steal a base on him.

"Hector Ortiz," Pierzynski said.

There you go. The Rangers' minor league catching instructor, who also works closely with Pierzynski and Geovany Soto, is the man behind the scenes helping the club's catchers throw out 27 percent of all basestealers.

That percentage has risen dramatically as Pierzynski has improved this season. The first 25 runners who tried to steal on him were successful. You can see the success rate -- or failure rate -- of Rangers opponents since then.

Soto threw out two basestealers in the second inning of Thursdays' 8-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, helping starter Yu Darvish wade through a start in which he had command issues. Soto has thrown out 30 percent of basestealers.

Pierzynski said, for eight seasons in Chicago, the White Sox didn't care about throwing out baserunners. It wasn't a team philosophy.

With Ortiz around for the Rangers, it is. Ortiz studies video religiously. "I try to pay attention to the little things," Ortiz said. He also studies video and calls and talks to the Rangers' catchers when he's on the road instructing the minor league catchers.

Pierzynski has improved his footwork and his weight shift during the season, helping him to make stronger throws. It says something that Pierzynski, a 13-year veteran, would be willing to listen to Ortiz.

That speaks volumes.

"They like it," Rangers manager Ron Washington said of Pierzynski and Soto getting instruction from Ortiz. "You can see the difference. They're both throwing the ball well."

What's Ortiz's secret?

"He's good at getting them to apply," Washington said. "That's a coach right there. That's a teacher."

The Rangers have to slow down the running game in this weekend series against Kansas City. The Royals lead the major leagues with 147 stolen bases. The Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers are next with 132 steals.

Nathan sends message: Closer Joe Nathan told pitching coach Mike Maddux he wanted to pitch the ninth inning Thursday night against Tampa Bay, even with the Rangers holding a 6-2 lead, even with Nathan pitching for a third straight day.

The reason? Nathan wanted to send a message to the Rays after he blew a save against them on Wednesday night in the 11th inning. Nathan had two strikes on two straight hitters and allowed them to reach base, the second one David DeJesus' walk-off single.

Nathan rebounded Thursday, allowing one hit. He got the last word.

"We're going to see those guys again," Nathan said of a possible wild-card game matchup with Tampa Bay. "I wanted that last game to be a positive. I wanted them to be the ones carrying in, in a one-game playoff, to have that bad taste in their mouth."

Nathan also said the extra work will help with his sharpness. He hadn't pitched in nine days before pitching the last three games against Tampa Bay. He said before Friday's game that he feels great, he likes to pitch regularly and he expects to be ready if needed against Kansas City.

Short hops: Pierzynski has a bruised finger on his glove hand, but it's not considered to be a serious injury … Darvish will pitch the final game of the regular season next Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels, if the Rangers are playing a meaningful game as far as the postseason.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Hey, the Rangers dig the long ball, too.

Texas hit home runs in two games in the four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays and won both games. The power surge helped the Rangers split the series and remain tied with the Rays for the top American League wild-card spot, a half-game ahead of the surging Cleveland Indians.

The Rangers swatted four home runs in Thursday's 8-2 victory over the Rays at Tropicana Field. Texas arrived in St. Petersburg on Monday and lost 6-2 to the Rays, failing to hit a long ball to extend a stretch without a home run to 269 at-bats and 297 plate appearances.

Ian Kinsler hit a home run on the first pitch of the game Tuesday, and the Rangers cruised to a 7-1 victory. There were also homers from Elvis Andrus and Leonys Martin in that game.

The Rangers didn't homer in Wednesday's heartbreaking 4-3, 12-inning loss to the Rays, but they brought the power back in the third inning of Thursday's game.

Trailing 2-1 after Yu Darvish had given away a lead in the first inning, Mitch Moreland, in the lineup for defense, crushed a solo shot to the opposite field off lefty Matt Moore to tie the game.

The Rangers weren't done. Andrus hit his second homer of the series for a 3-2 lead. Alex Rios, who was 2-for-14 in the first three games of the series, cranked another solo shot for a 4-2 lead.

It gave the struggling Darvish a chance to settle down and get his first win in seven starts.

"The third inning was a big inning for us all the way around," Moreland said, "When we hit two more [home runs] after that. Three home runs in the inning, that definitely swung the momentum in our favor."

Andrus, batting .364 in his past 19 games coming into Thursday, continued his confident hitting in the series by going 6-for-16. He added the home run ball in this series, doubling his season total to four.

"I do feel better, for sure," Andrus said. "Every time you feel that you're swinging good -- like I'm doing right now, just having a plan -- whenever I know that it might be a fastball, I just let my hands go. I'm never looking for homers, but I hit that ball good."

Geovany Soto, who seems to be get an extra-base hit every time he starts, added a solo shot in the top of the ninth. He is 9-for-21 with two homers in his past seven games.

Moreland might be the big story to come out of the series at The Trop. He had an 0-for-22 skid going before hitting a double in three straight games and scoring three runs. He had three more hits on Thursday.

He started the game against lefty in Moore and had a performance reminiscent of a May streak during which he had nine home runs. Moreland has 23 homers for the season.

"You want to try to go up there and stay with your approach either way," Moreland said. "It doesn't matter who you're facing and get a good pitch. For the most part in this series, I was able to do that. It's something to build on and try to keep it rolling."

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- This was a night during which Yu Darvish was in survival mode.

Forty pitches in the first inning. Six walks. A hit batter. A blown lead in the first inning.

And at the end of the night -- Darvish's first win in seven starts -- was an 8-2 pasting of the Tampa Bay Rays, coming after 1-0 losses to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland A's in his previous two outings.

There's no explaining this stuff. Darvish doesn't have close to his best stuff and gets a win in a very pivotal game to help the Rangers pull even with Tampa Bay for the top wild-card spot, a half-game ahead of the Cleveland Indians.

Darvish struggled with his command, didn't get some close calls on pitches down in the strike zone and lasted only five innings. It was only the fourth time in 30 starts he has failed to complete six innings.

But he got run support and made pitches when he needed them. Darvish had received two runs or less before exiting each of his prior seven starts, a total of 10 runs. The Rangers scored six runs -- helped by three homers -- by the time he left Thursday's game with a 6-2 lead.

"I didn't have many of my pitches, fastballs or breaking balls," Darvish said. "But somehow, I made it through five innings and kept the game close."

Darvish is still using a poor start in Oakland at the beginning of the month as motivation. He lost 11-4 on Sept. 4 as he had six walks, lost his composure on the mound and allowed the A's to pull even with the Rangers in the American League West standings (Oakland has since taken a 6½-game lead in the division).

Darvish was able to calm himself Thursday night with the help of a mound visit from Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus before one of his double-play balls and a visit from pitching coach Mike Maddux before another one.

Both times, there were runners at first and second with one out. Both times, Darvish got a ground ball to the middle of the infield for a tailor-made double play.

"We were basically telling him to try to go out there and look for the contact," Andrus said. "We know the way he pitches. In that moment, we're thinking the same thing. We're feeling he needs to try to go out there and throw a fastball down so we can get a double play. He understands that and made a great pitch, and that's what we got."

Darvish was also helped by catcher Geovany Soto, who caught the Rangers ace for the third straight game since the poor start in Oakland. Soto was able to soothe Darvish through the first inning, when he allowed three walks, a hit batter and a double but gave up only two runs. He didn't get a shutdown inning, but he did keep the game close.

Soto helped keep it at 2-1 Rays in the bottom of the second. Tampa Bay's Yunel Escobar and Ben Zobrist both tried to steal second in the inning. Soto threw them both out.

The Rangers scored three runs in the top of the third on solo home runs by Mitch Moreland, Elvis Andrus and Alex Rios.

"If he didn't know what it means around here saying grind, he knows what it is now," manager Ron Washington said of Darvish. "Tonight, that's something he has to do. He was very effective, wildly, but when he had to make a pitch, he made one, and I was happy to get him through five innings."

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers lost another game that Yu Darvish started Monday night.

Take the count up to five in a row. Oh, and take two aspirin and call the doctor in the morning.

Yes, night's like Pirates 1, Rangers 0 are painful. Especially in September, in the middle of a pennant race that now finds Texas two games behind idle Oakland.

Forget the cramp that wasn't a cramp in Darvish's lower right leg that forced him out of the game after the seventh inning. This is getting to be a collective headache for Darvish, his teammates, manager Ron Washington, the fan in Section 323.

Three times Darvish has lost 1-0 this season. Three times: May 21 at home against Oakland, July 27 in Cleveland and now Sept. 9 at home again against Pittsburgh.

There have been 14 1-0 games since Rangers Ballpark opened in 1994. That's 20 seasons. Two of the 1-0 games have been 1-0 losses for Darvish this season.

Darvish was asked after the game how to explain this 1-0 phenomenon after saying that he had a cramping symptom, but not cramps, in his right leg that forced him out of the game after an efficient, somewhat stunning 81 pitches in seven innings.

Darvish did his best to explain his 1-0 misery.

"This is what it is," said Darvish, who has lost three straight starts for the first time in his career. "It's baseball. Sometimes, the offense can't score a run. Some days, you might score 20 runs. Some days, you might throw a no-hitter and not win. The hitters did their best and I did my best."

On that last part, Darvish is right. He did do his best. He was at his best. He was flat out dominant Monday night. Unfortunately, so was Pirates' 23-year-old right-hander Gerrit Cole, who has a huge future in this game.

Cole was able to escape his one big jam with runners at second and third and two outs in the sixth and the Rangers' best hitter, Adrian Beltre, at the plate. Only Beltre is struggling. He was in a 1-for-21 skid before grounding out to shortstop to end the inning.

Beltre did have a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth, but the game ended on a groundout by A.J. Pierzynski. Beltre is confident he'll break out of his slump. So is everyone else.

"I'm not frustrated at all," he said.

Darvish bounced back from his worst and most frustrating start of the season in Oakland on Wednesday with one of his best performances. He gave up four hits, two of them consecutive two-out doubles in the top of the seventh that produced the only run of the game.

Darvish made a statement by averaging 11.6 pitches per inning against the Pirates. For the season, he's averaging 16.3 pitches per inning. That's astounding efficiency for Darvish.

This is the Darvish the Rangers want to see -- the attacking Darvish. Not the one that didn't trust his stuff, or feel good about his stuff, in Oakland when he was all over the place and allowed five runs in five innings in an 11-4 loss to the A's.

"Today, I was able to focus and concentrate, especially after my last outing," Darvish said. "I thought about it for a long time and things I should think differently. Tonight, I was able to just concentrate, almost to the point where, 'Here, I'm going to throw it right down the middle. Go ahead and hit.' I really attacked the hitters and really focused on competing tonight."

Darvish said he talked to different people -- he didn't elaborate with whom -- and apparently decided he needed to focus on the mental side for this start.

He was going down with his best stuff. He challenged Pedro Alvarez in the fifth inning and got him to hit into a double play to keep the game scoreless.

"That was something," Darvish said, "I'm going to throw this pitch, and it's going to be the best pitch tonight and he hit into a double play, instead of thinking I can't throw it here because I don't want to get hit. That's not the right way to think. I stayed positive and competed."

He faced Alvarez again in a key situation in the top of the seventh with a runner at second and two outs. Darvish went with a split-fingered fastball. Alvarez won the battle this time with a line-drive double to center field.

"Any other hitter, I still get a swing and miss on it," Darvish said. "I thought I threw the best pitch at the time to get him out, and he got a hit."

With the high expectations on Darvish, he's expected to win 1-0 on these nights. Or 2-1. Or whatever it takes.

That's fair, to a point. But on nights like Monday, when Darvish is electric, it's unfair to pin the loss on him. This is baseball.

Darvish had a plan, he followed it and he attacked hitters. He just didn't win.

"He's got such great stuff, sometimes you feel like he's nibbling a little bit," catcher Geovany Soto said. "But today, man, he was attacking. He was really attacking. I thought he was pitching magnificent. I don't have enough words for it. He was magnificent."

On Saturday against Oakland, you better believe the Rangers will take another one of these.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Geovany Soto will catch Yu Darvish on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the ace right-hander's first start since he and catcher A.J. Pierzynski exchanged words in a start against Oakland.

Pierzynski is in Monday night's lineup as the designated hitter. Pierzynski had caught Darvish's last seven starts.

RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
RF Alex Rios
3B Adrian Beltre
DH A.J. Pierzynski
1B Mitch Moreland
C Geovany Soto
LF Jim Adduci
CF Leonys Martin
P Yu Darvish

SEATTLE -– It's too bad the Texas Rangers don’t play the Seattle Mariners again.

No more chances this season to use Felix Hernandez to help them pad their pennant-race lead.

That’s not to say the Rangers relish every chance they can get to face Seattle’s All-Star and franchise cornerstone. They have prodigious respect for the 2010 Cy Young Award winner. They said so after their latest shelling of him Wednesday.

As Texas manager Ron Washington said, “We don’t own him. No one owns anyone.”

Maybe so, but this season the Rangers are at least renting “The King.”

Wednesday leadoff man Leonys Martin, still playing with a heavily taped right ankle that had him out Sunday and Monday, had a career-high four RBIs in the first four innings against Hernandez. That included his three-run home run in the second inning on a centered, split-fingered fastball that didn’t split anything except the heart of the plate.

Texas got two more runs on another elevated fastball from Hernandez in the third. Backup catcher Geovany Soto hacked and top-spun that into a single in front of hesitant left fielder Raul Ibanez.

Elvis Andrus doubled home two more in the fourth. By the time Ian Kinsler singled home Andrus, it was 8-0, Hernandez had given up 11 hits and was gone after a season-low 78 pitches in three innings plus four batters.

Checkmate.

Hernandez walked slowly off the field to exit another Rangers' ransacking of him. He took his gum out of his mouth and fired it into the dirt in front of Seattle’s dugout. He chucked his glove into a corner. And he flipped his cap dismissively in the area of the bench. It was tied for his second-shortest outing of his eight-year career.

When Adrian Beltre greeted reliever Brandon Maurer with a two-run homer, his 28th of the season, part of his AL-leading 51st multi-hit game this season, Texas led 10-0.

Hernandez was charged with eight earned runs, the most in his career.

“That was embarrassing. Terrible,” Hernandez (12-8) said.

“I was a little bit up. Everything I threw, they hit.”

Thing is, that is the 2013 Rangers against “King Felix.” Hernandez is now 0-4 with a 7.57 ERA against Texas in five starts this season. Last week in Arlington, Texas got him for five runs on five hits and five walks in five innings in a 15-3 romp.

And it’s to a large extent the Rangers' way throughout Hernandez’s career. His 20 losses to Texas are his most against any opponent –- by a large margin. The next most defeats is 13, to the Los Angeles Angels.

What do the Rangers seek to do when they face Hernandez?

“Be aggressive,” Andrus said.

Indeed, his RBI double off Hernandez in the five-run fourth was on the first strike Andrus saw. Same with Soto’s two-run single in the third, Martin’s RBI single in the fourth and Kinsler’s RBI single in that big inning.

“Felix is a great challenge to face," Andrus said. "Every time you are facing one of the best pitchers in the league. We didn’t want him to feel comfortable.

“Yeah, you don’t want to get to two strikes with Felix. That’s when he gets really dangerous.”

He wasn’t anything close to that Wednesday against the Rangers. Again.

“It’s funny, people assume because you are playing a team under .500 that you should handle him,” Kinsler said. “The reality is, we faced two of the best pitchers in the league [Texas beat All-Star Hisashi Iwakuma on Tuesday].

“To sweep a team with those two pitching is huge for us.”

Perez becoming Mr. Dependable: Last September, Martin Perez was a 21-year old thrown into a pennant race largely because the Rangers had no other options at the back of their rotation.

A year later, Martin has become a dependable key to the middle of the rotation for a first-place team.

Perez showed poise and focus in keeping the Mariners silent while his hitters beat up on Hernandez on Wednesday. Spotting his fastball well and using a commanding changeup, the left-hander didn’t allow a hit until one out into the fourth inning, to Kyle Seager on his 48th pitch. By the time Seattle scored a run off him, on Dustin Ackley’s homer in the fifth, the Rangers had 10 runs.

Perez (8-3) lowered his ERA to 3.58 by allowing five hits and two earned runs in six professional innings to beat his fellow Venezuelan Hernandez for the second time in three starts. He walked two, struck out three and set Rangers rookie records for wins in five consecutive starts and five wins in a month. He now leads AL rookies in victories.

“This year, I’m throwing more strikes. And we’ve got guys giving me offensive support,” said Perez, who has received at least 10 runs from his offense in three consecutive games.

He brushed off the team rookie records he just set as if they were more hitters in August; he’s 5-0 with a 3.06 ERA this month.

He’s already looking ahead to his next start, next week at second-place Oakland.

“I just need to refocus,” he said. “Don’t look back. Just look in front of me, and say, ‘I can and I will.’”

So far, he has.

“He’s growing right in front of your eyes,” Washington said, adding he is impressed with “his poise [and] his mound presence.”

HOUSTON -- One of these days, Yu Darvish is going to throw a perfect game or a no-hitter.

Maybe it will happen at Minute Maid Park. He's certainly made some memories in Houston this season.

On April 2, Darvish flirted with a perfect game in Houston. In Monday's 2-1 victory over the Astros, he needed five more outs for his first no-hitter.

Darvish lost his no-hit bid when Astros catcher Carlos Corporan, with one hit in his past 20 at-bats, crushed a first-pitch cutter into the right-field seats. The Rangers ace had to settle for a combined one-hitter with closer Joe Nathan, who pitched a perfect ninth inning after Darvish departed with 115 pitches.

Just like in April, when Darvish lost his perfect-game bid with one out to go on a two-seam fastball to Astros shortstop Marwin Gonzalez -- who is now in the minor leagues -- Darvish said it wasn't a mistake pitch that cost him. He said he just got beat.

Only this one wasn't a sharp single that went through his legs. This one went over the fence -- 383 feet, as calculated by ESPN Stats & Information.

"I thought it was a good pitch," Darvish said. "I didn’t think the ball would carry that much, but I thought it was good hitting by him."

For a while Monday, one thing was certain: Gonzalez couldn't save Houston. He's playing for the Astros' Triple-A club in Oklahoma City, and they were in Tucson, Ariz. No getting Marwin here.

Darvish carried a perfect game into the sixth inning, getting two outs on four pitches before walking the No. 9 hitter, rookie shortstop Jonathan Villar.

Darvish appeared to have a strikeout on a 2-2 slider he threw around the knees that catcher A.J. Pierzynski jumped up after catching to head to the dugout. Plate umpire Ron Kulpa called it a ball, and, after Darvish threw another ball low to end the perfect-game bid, Pierzynski said something, then started walking out to the mound, and Kulpa followed him. After Pierzynski said something else, Kulpa ejected him from the game.

Darvish had to put that behind him while Pierzynski was in the Rangers clubhouse. He recovered to keep the no-hit bid going with new catcher Geovany Soto by fanning Astros center fielder Robbie Grossman on another slider.

"I just wanted to keep my focus," Darvish said of the moments after the walk to Villar. "I don’t want to get in a worse situation, which would be to give up a hit, and have runners at first and third. Even the runner who stole second, I just wanted to get him [the batter] out.”

PODCAST
Ron Washington joins Fitzsimmons and Durrett for his weekly visit to discuss Yu Darvish's dominant performance, A.J. Pierzynski's passion, the Rangers' current hot streak and more. Listen

Darvish ended the the seventh inning with another strikeout, his 13th, by Chris Carter on a cutter. Darvish opened the eighth inning by getting a called strike three on Houston third baseman Matt Dominguez on a slider that appeared to be inside for ball four. It was Darvish's 14th strikeout, which matched his career high.

He didn't survive Corporan, who hit his seventh homer of the season. The Rangers ace did finish the eighth inning by fanning Brandon Barnes to set his career high and getting Jake Elmore to fly out to center field.

With Darvish where he was with his pitch count and clinging to a 2-1 lead, Rangers manager Ron Washington decided it was time for Nathan.

"The pitch count had something to do with it, and you’ve got to understand the level of anxiety in what he was doing out there," Washington said. "Once he got out of the eighth inning and they had a hit and scored a run, there was no need for him to go back out there."

It was the right call by Washington, as Nathan came in and a had perfect inning for his 35th save. It was one of Nathan's best saves of the season as he took Darvish's momentum and dominated.

"I had a good curveball, and it's a pitch I haven't used in at least two weeks," Nathan said. "I didn't know how it was going to be. Geo [Soto] was calling it throughout the inning. And just kept throwing it. It felt good. It felt sharp."

Darvish used his vast array of pitches to baffle Houston hitters again. His slider was on early as he struck out the side in the bottom of the first. He threw mostly sliders and cutters in the early innings.

"He kept them off balance," Washington said. "When they were looking for breaking balls, he was throwing the fastballs and cutters. When they were looking for cutters, he was throwing breaking balls. He was in sync with A.J. and then he continues to get in sync with Soto. It was a tremendous day."

Of Darvish's 15 K's, 12 came on sliders. His four-seam fastball was equally sharp, even though Darvish said this wasn't as good of a performance as the near perfect game.

“The pitches that I threw today were a lot different than what I threw in April," Darvish said. "I didn’t throw that many cut fastballs. It was mainly sliders. But I think I was in pretty good shape and had a good outing.”

It was a great outing. For a while, another bid to be perfect.

And in the end, so close to a no-hitter.

"You feel bad for the guy, and everyone associated with it, because it doesn't happen very often," Pierzynski said.

HOUSTON -- Yu Darvish's no-hit bid in a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros was lost Monday with one out in the eighth inning.

Before that, the Texas Rangers' ace was trying for a perfect game.

PODCAST
Ron Washington joins Fitzsimmons and Durrett for his weekly visit to discuss Yu Darvish's dominant performance, A.J. Pierzynski's passion, the Rangers' current hot streak and more. Listen

The bid for perfection was lost with a walk to Astros No. 9 hitter Jonathan Villar with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. What followed was catcher A.J. Pierzynski disputing the call and getting ejected by home plate umpire Ron Kulpa.

Pierzynski was upset about a 2-2 slider that Darvish threw right around the knees of Villar that was called a ball. Darvish tried another slider with a full count and the pitch was low for ball four.

Pierzynski responded by taking off his catcher's mask and having words with Kulpa. The conversation continued as the Rangers' catcher took a few steps to the mound. Kulpa almost immediately ejected him.

"Ron did what he needed to do and it was over," Pierzynski said. "I was hoping Yu would throw a no-hitter.

"I thought it was (a strike) and Ron didn’t and I was upset we walked a guy, and I said a bad word and I was ejected. That was it and it’s over."

Kulpa explained himself to a reporter after the game, and while he didn't get the count of the pitch in dispute correct, he did offer up what happened.

“Pierzynski didn't like the 3-1 pitch that I (called for a ball)," Kulpa said. "We had words about the 3-1 pitch. And then he walked him on the very next pitch and he continued to argue on the pitch before. And he got ejected.”

Kulpa was asked why the pitch was called a ball.

“I had it down,” Kulpa said.

And what happened after that between Pierzynski and Kulpa?

“He said enough to get ejected,” said Kulpa, who already isn't a fan favorite in Texas after a missed call in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series, won by St. Louis in seven games.

At least one Rangers player, closer Joe Nathan -- as badly as he wanted Darvish to get a no-hitter, thought Kulpa made the right call after seeing the replay. The pitch tracker on Brooksbaseball had it as a borderline pitch.

"You want those pitches, especially in a spot like this," Nathan said. "But you can't blame the umpire right there. Obvously it was a very tight pitch. I think if you go back and look at it, he did get the call right. As much as you want it, you still have to be fair. (Kulpa) did a a good job of not getting caught in the moment and starting to ring up guys just because."

If Darvish had finished the no-hitter, it would have been historic with two catchers combining to get there because one of them was ejected.

"I wanted him to throw a no-hitter so Yu would have thrown it to two catchers instead of one," Pierzynski said.

Instead, Darvish has lost a perfect game bid in the ninth inning and no-hitter in the eighth this season at Minute Maid Park. He had retired 26 Astros in a row April 2 before shortstop Marwin Gonzalez -- now in the minor leagues -- hit a sharp single through Darvish's legs and into center field.

The no-hit bid Monday ended with Carlos Corporan's 383-foot home run to right field with one out in the eighth inning.

For his part, Darvish didn't seem fazed by missing out at a chance at history once again.

“I think I’ve said this before, a win is a win," Darvish said. "I’m so glad that I was a big part of this win.”