Rangers’ Yu Darvish loses no-hit bid in ninth, again

Yu Darvish came within one out of a no-hitter for the second time in his career, giving up only a ninth-inning single to David Ortiz in the Texas Rangers’ 8-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night at Arlington, Texas.

Darvish took a perfect game into the seventh before Ortiz reached on a two-out error by right fielder Alex Rios. The right-hander walked his next batter and another in the eighth but went into the ninth looking for the first no-hitter in the majors this season.

Dustin Pedroia grounded out and Shane Victorino struck out, bringing up Ortiz, who hit a sharp grounder through Texas’ defensive shift on the right side of the diamond for a clean single.

Darvish lost a perfect-game bid with two outs in the ninth inning last year against Houston.

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The Atlanta Braves found a temporary fix for their overstuffed rotation Friday by moving Alex Wood to the bullpen for a week.

Wood had been scheduled to start Sunday against the Chicago Cubs but instead will become Atlanta’s second left-handed reliever in addition to Luis Avilan.

Aaron Harang will make Sunday’s start. Braves Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Wood will be back in the rotation on May 17 against St. Louis.

ETC.

The Oakland Athletics placed reliever Ryan Cook on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right forearm. . . . Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu was limited to the designated-hitter role for the series opener against Arizona because of a nagging left ankle injury. . . .

New York Mets ace Matt Harvey took the next step in his rehabilitation from right elbow surgery, increasing his throwing distance from 90 to 120 feet. He said his target date for throwing off a mound is June 10. . . . Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Alex Cobb has thrown his first simulated game since going on the 15-day disabled list April 13 because of a strained left oblique.