Darvish breezes through first rehab start

Taking a cautious approach into his first outing in almost 21 months, Yu Darvish emerged with a sense of relief on Sunday.

"I hoped I'm not going to blow (out) my elbow," the three-time American League All-Star told reporters through an interpreter. "That's what I was thinking."

Darvish had no trouble of the sort and breezed through a pair of hitless frames for Double-A Frisco in his first rehab start since undergoing Tommy John surgery last March. He fanned two, allowed one walk and threw 18 of 32 pitches for strikes to Corpus Christi hitters at Dr Pepper Ballpark. Ultimately, the Hooks edged the RoughRiders, 4-3.

"It's been a while since I pitched in a game situation,'' Darvish said. "I felt like I was pitching with the bases loaded in a big league game every pitch. I'm very happy about today's outing."

In his first game since Aug. 8, 2014, the Rangers right-hander threw 24 fastballs averaging 94.3 mph while topping 97 mph on a couple of occasions, according to media reports.

Darvish picked up his first strikeout against Astros' No. 9 prospect Derek Fisher, getting the lefty hitter swinging on a breaking pitch diving down and in. Darvish also set down Danry Vasquez looking at strike three in the second.

Only two runners reached base against the 29-year-old. Chase McDonald drew a seven-pitch walk after working back from an 0-2 count in the first and Houston's No. 12 prospect J.D. Davis reached on a fielding error by third baseman Garrett Weber to lead off the second.

Darvish departed to a standing ovation from the fourth-largest crowd in Frisco history, with 11,842 in attendance.

"I am glad the fans didn't forget me for not pitching in more than a year,'' he said. "I appreciate that."

The 2013 Major League strikeout leader is expected make four more rehab starts in the Minors before rejoining the Rangers. His next start is tentatively scheduled for Friday with Triple-A Round Rock.

Texas' No. 27 prospect Connor Sadzeck allowed three runs on three hits over four innings in relief of Darvish while Jose Leclerc (0-4) gave up a run on a hit in two frames to take the loss. Matt Bush allowed one hit and a walk and struck out two in the ninth.

The Rangers' second-ranked prospect, Lewis Brinson, and No. 15 Ryan Cordell lofted back-to-back homers in the first for Frisco. Cordell extended his hitting streak to 17 games in the process.

Chris Cotton (1-0) picked up the win and Fisher lined a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh.