Yu Darvish’s exes live in Texas, but Cub pitcher makes sure he’s not forgotten

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Darvish earlier this spring / John Antonoff photo

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Yu Darvish faced the Rangers for the first time since they traded him to the Dodgers last summer after 5½ years together.

“I drove myself here today, and as I got closer to the stadium, it was nice seeing the scenery I was used to,” Darvish said through a translator.

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He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter in six innings, allowing only three hits, including a home run to Juan Centeno leading off the third.

“I heard some heckles from the opponents’ side, but that got me relaxed and I had fun out there,” said Darvish, who also was cheered as he left the dugout for the clubhouse.

Left field and deep

Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber, the Nos. 2 and No. 4 overall picks in the 2013 and ’14 drafts, respectively, homered to stake Darvish to an early lead. Bryant’s was his first of the spring, a two-out, three-run shot to left-center in the second. Schwarber’s leadoff shot the opposite way to left in the third was his fourth.

Regular-season pain

The Cubs began a final-week stretch of playing the regulars every day and managing game situations (shifts, etc.) like they will during the season. How authentic was this one? First baseman Anthony Rizzo, who has led the league in getting hit by pitches two of the last three years, was hit on the arm in his second at-bat. He stayed in the game.

Nine men out

Relievers Steve Cishek, the sidearming former closer, and Carl Edwards Jr., the hard-throwing future closer, finished the game by setting down the final nine Rangers in order. Cishek faced the first five, giving way to Edwards, who finished the eighth with a strikeout before a quick ninth.

On deck

Cubs at Giants, Scottsdale, Jose Quintana vs. Chris Stratton, 9:05 p.m. Thursday, 670-AM.

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