Elvis Andrus scores a run in the first inning

David Murphy slides into third

Justin Grimm on the mound

Mitch Moreland in his home run trot

The Rangers are 3-0 when Robinson Chirinos starts behind the plate

Defense! Defense! Defense!

Andy Dirks is tagged out at home plate by catcher Geovany Soto after a tremendous throw by Leonys Martin

Leury Garcia lines a single to lead off the eighth.

Ron Washington and the National Anthem

Nick Tepesch

Lance Berkman on second base. The Rangers didn’t have much to smile about offensively.

Elvis Andrus at shortstop

Ian Kinsler pinch-running in the ninth inning

Colby Lewis threw approximately 35 pitches in the bullpen without any problem. He is scheduled to pitch Monday for Double A Frisco on rehab assignment. He’ll likely get that one and two more starts in the Minors before the Rangers assess if he is Major League ready.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler is out of the lineup tonight vs Detroit.  He has bruised ribs, probably from his awkward slide into 3rd base during the first inning of last night’s game.  Leury Garcia will play second base tonight.

More on the website later.

Geovany Soto goes deep as the crowd reacts

Soto returns to the dugout and Elvis Andrus has a rare smile on his face

Yu Darvish on the mound

Justin Verlander

Nelson Cruz goes deep

Ian Kinsler dives into third base

Leonys Martin is safe at second base

The Rangers have placed Alexi Ogando in the disabled list with biceps tendinitis. The Rangers will recall Josh Lindblom from Triple A Round Rock to start on Monday. Cory Burns has been called up for the weekend from Round Rock. Ogando complained of the problem during Wednesday’s 6-2 victory over the Athletics. He will have an MRI tonight.

Two days before he pitches, Yu Darvish meets with the media for a few minutes. Here is what Darvish had to say through his translator Keni Nimura on Tuesday as he prepares to face Justin Verlander on Thursday at the Ballpark in Arlington.

You face Verlander in your next start…how do you view that?

“I think you know the answer.”

Was this the kind of matchup you envisioned when you decided to come to Major League Baseball and leave Japan?

“When I made the decision to come to the big leagues, I knew that I was going to be facing a lot of great pitchers. I wasn’t just thinking Verlander but there are many other great pitchers as well.”

Are these starts fun for you, maybe a little more so than some and look forward to them?

“Not particularly because I won’t be hitting against him. If that were the case I’d be looking forward to it. I’m just going to be pitching and I’m focused on pitching my game.”

What is your impression of the Tigers lineup?

“Same thing as last year, they have a lot of powerful hitters. It’s a great lineup they have.”

You’re leading the majors in strikeouts and have six wins. How do you evaluate how it’s gone so far? Any improvements?

“The number of wins and the number of strikeouts, I’m not really concerned about. That’s something I have to look back to once the season’s over. Since my ERA is not 0.00, that’s what I have to improve on. I’m just making sure that I’m healthy to throw for the rest of the season.”

He was asked again about his strikeouts

“I’m not really too concerned about strikeouts but the rest of the people are. I’m just concerned with pitching my game and giving this team a chance to win the game.”

You faced the Tigers three times last year and this is your first this year, is there any hitter you like facing?

“There’s no particular hitter I’m looking forward to facing. I’m more concerned about managing the lineup and pitching my game and giving my team a chance to win. Every game I look forward to facing every hitter, but there’s no particular hitter I’m concerned about now.”

Will this start give you an idea where you are at this stage of the season, in mid-May?

“Just because I face the Tigers with a powerful lineup doesn’t mean I’m pitching well, because there are so many different types of teams at the major league level. There are a lot of power hitters in the Tigers lineup but you have a team lineup like the Oakland A’s, they don’t have a lot of power hitters like the Tigers do. It’s a team effort. Just the fact that you shut out a Tigers lineup doesn’t mean that you’re going to win against the A’s. As a pitcher you have to adjust to each team and how you’re going to pitch against them. As a starting pitcher my main job is to stay healthy and pitch the game that I can pitch against the team that I’m facing.”