By Ben Cowlishaw
Online Copy Editor

While it is not the 7-0 start to the season the Rangers had last year, the team looks ready to put up a fight yet again to lay claim on the American League West.

The one loss came on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox when closer Joe Nathan blew a save, giving up a homerun. Monday was the highly anticipated first major league start for Yu Darvish, who appeared unsettled and nervous in his first inning.

Leading off with a four-pitch walk, Darvish let up four runs in the inning, taking 42 pitches to get there. When it appeared that Darvish would struggle to get out of the inning, long relief pitcher Scott Feldman quickly began warming in the bullpen. However, after letting up just one run in the second, Yu fell into a groove and shutout the Mariners for the remainder of his start before handing it over to the pen with one out left in the sixth.

Yu got the win with some major run support off of the Rangers’ bats, including four homeruns and a total of 11 runs.

While Ian Kinsler, Josh Hamilton and David Murphy have started the season with hitting power and performance, others have gotten off to a slower start, including second in the lineup Elvis Andrus and fan favorite Mike Napoli. With 158 games to go, it’s anyone guess as to what the season holds for Texas.

The Rangers play the Mariners tonight and tomorrow before going on a road stretch.