Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

MLB

Texas Rangers Take Series

by

PHOENIX — The Texas Rangers, after 62 years as a Major League Baseball franchise and 51 in the State of Texas, can finally call themselves World Series champions.

Embed from Getty Images

A 5-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5 on Wednesday clinched the Rangers’ first title in three trips to the Fall Classic. Texas took all three games at Chase Field to end the postseason with an all-time-record 11-0 road mark.

Mitch Garver snapped a scoreless tie with a run-scoring single in the seventh inning, Nathan Eovaldi pitched six scoreless innings and the Rangers’ offense broke open a close game with four runs in the ninth inning off Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald.

Game 5 was a case of wasted chance after chance for the Diamondbacks, who hoped to send the series back to Texas for at least Game 6. Starter Zac Gallen no-hit the Rangers through six innings, allowing only one baserunner over that span.

Can Eovaldi Bring It Home?

by

  1. PHOENIX — The Texas Rangers are one win away from their first World Series title, and they will ask Nathan Eovaldi to finish off the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5 on Wednesday. Texas grabbed a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with an 11-7 win in Game 4 on Tuesday, as leadoff hitter Marcus Semien contributed a three-run homer and a two-run triple.
Embed from Getty Images

 

The Rangers took the 48,388 fans out of the game early with five-run innings in the second and third. The Diamondbacks scored six runs in the last two innings but still fell far short.

Texas, which is a record 10-0 on the road in the postseason, will look to complete a perfect away run behind Eovaldi. The veteran right-hander is 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA over five postseason starts, with 36 strikeouts and five walks in 30 2/3 innings.

Eovaldi allowed five runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings in Game 1, which Texas won 6-5 in 11 innings. He fanned eight and walked one.

“I try to play to my strengths. At the same time, I try to learn from my mistakes I had,” Eovaldi said. “So coming in this next start against these guys, I’ll be pitching a little differently. But at the same time, just continue to use my strengths and attack their weaknesses.”

In eight career regular-season appearances (five starts) against the Diamondbacks, Eovaldi is 3-0 with a 2.78 ERA.

To fight off elimination and try to send the series back to Texas for at least a Game 6, the Diamondbacks will turn to their ace, Zac Gallen. The right-hander has not been as sharp in the postseason as he was in the regular season, going 2-2 with a 5.27 ERA in five October starts. He has given up six home runs and walked 13 batters while striking out 18 in 27 1/3 innings.

Gallen was in line for a Game 1 win after throwing five innings of three-run ball, but the Arizona bullpen couldn’t finish off the Rangers.

“For me, I’m treating it just like it’s May, honestly,” Gallen said of the Game 5 assignment. “And I don’t know … hopefully this isn’t the last time I’m experiencing this and this heavy of a workload, this late of a workload.

“I’m still trying to get better each day, really. I just threw like a 35-pitch bullpen (session) Monday, where I think some people might try and taper it off, keep that in the 20s or whatever it is. But I’m still trying to work on things, still trying to get better.

“Until the final bell rings, I’m going to keep plugging away and keep seeing what the deal is with my delivery and all types of different things, feels and whatnot. I mean, it’s maybe not the greatest thing to be throwing as much as I am, but it’s what makes me feel prepared and what eases me mentally.”

The Rangers will have to go the rest of the World Series without injured slugger Adolis Garcia, who racked up eight home runs and 22 RBIs in the postseason. Travis Jankowski took Garcia’s place in right field on Tuesday and delivered a two-run double and a single. Ezequiel Duran replaced Garcia on the World Series roster.

Garcia is sidelined due to an oblique strain he sustained in Game 3.

Texas right-hander Max Scherzer also won’t be available. His back spasms in Game 3 forced his removal from the roster, with left-handed reliever Brock Burke taking his place.

Burke yielded three runs and got just one out in Game 4, his first appearance since he gave up two runs in one-third of an inning in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Injuries aside, the Rangers are in a good place entering Game 5.

“Going out there and doing all you can to win a ballgame, and that’s where we have to be thinking,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s where our minds have to be.”

–Jose M. Romero, Field Level Media

TEXAS COAST

by

PHOENIX — Texas SP Andrew Heaney, on his fourth team in three seasons, helped his latest club move to the brink of a World Series championship. The left-hander gave the Rangers a solid start in Game 4 on Tuesday, and Texas rolled to an 11-7 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Embed from Getty Images

The Rangers dominated, even though they let the Diamondbacks make it interesting in the late innings, to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Texas is one victory away from its first World Series crown.

“It’s awesome,” Heaney said after earning a win with five innings of one-run ball. “You know, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career, been on a bunch of different teams and never had this opportunity, obviously. I just want to win the game. I want us to win, and we did that, and we’re in obviously a great position and need to finish it off.”

The Rangers supported Heaney (1-0) by exploding for consecutive five-run innings in the second and third, turning the Halloween contest into a nightmare for the Diamondbacks and their fans.

Marcus Semien, who entered the game batting .197 in the postseason, hit a two-run triple in the second inning and a three-run homer in the third. Corey Seager struck again with his third two-run homer of the World Series, his sixth postseason long ball.

Jonah Heim added a solo home run in the eighth, his third blast of the postseason.

Texas won its 10th consecutive postseason road game, the longest winning streak of its kind in major league playoff history. Another road win in Game 5 on Wednesday would seal the title.

In a bullpen game for Arizona, the Rangers knocked around relievers Miguel Castro, Kyle Nelson and Luis Frias, all of whom allowed three runs without lasting one full inning. Castro yielded Semien’s triple in the second, Nelson served up Seager’s homer in the second and Frias gave up Travis Jankowski’s two-run double and Semien’s home run in the third.

Heaney yielded four hits, walked two and struck out three, leaving with a 10-1 lead. His effort helped the Texas bullpen get extra rest.

The Rangers lost two key players to injuries sustained in Game 3, as right fielder Adolis Garcia (strained oblique muscle) and Game 3 starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back spasms) were removed from the World Series roster. However, Texas didn’t miss the power-hitting Garcia, who had 20 hits, eight home runs and 22 RBIs in the postseason.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys, how they bounce back, how resilient they are, how they dealt with things, whether it’s losing streaks, whether it’s injuries,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “You can’t do anything about it. They’re gonna happen occasionally.”

The Diamondbacks scored their first run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. They added four runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Tommy Pham and Gurriel’s three-run home run, and they didn’t go quietly in the ninth, when Gabriel Moreno hit a two-run single off Texas closer Jose Leclerc.

Ketel Marte, the Diamondbacks’ best hitter in the postseason, had two hits to increase his postseason hitting streak to 20 games, the longest such streak in major league history. But Arizona is on the brink of defeat.

“You commit to the plan and the process for 27 outs,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “And you close the game up to 11-7, got the fans engaged, got a ton of energy, you got their closer in the game.

“There’s a lot of positives to draw upon, and I will, but we gotta tighten up the things we know that went wrong. And we’ll do that. And then we’ll come out tomorrow and we gotta go 1-0 tomorrow. We gotta be ready to play our finest game tomorrow and not worry about anything else.”

Diamondbacks opener Joe Mantiply (2-1) took the loss after allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings.

–Jose M. Romero, Field Level Media

Garcia, Scherzer Out for Series

by

PHOENIX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Texas Rangers slugger Adolis Garcia has a moderate oblique strain and he, along with starting pitcher Max Scherzer, will miss the remainder of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Embed from Getty Images

 

Garcia left the Rangers’ Game 3 victory in the eighth inning after experiencing side tightness following a swing. He underwent imaging on his torso before Game 4, allowing the team to diagnose the strain.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters Garcia tried to take some swings and was “on the table getting further evaluation” with less than three hours before first pitch.

An hour before Game 4, Texas decided to replace both Garcia and Scherzer, who suffered back spasms during his start Monday, for the remainder of the series.

Garcia will be replaced by infielder/outfielder Ezequiel Duran and Scherzer will be replaced by left-handed pitcher Brock Burke.

In accordance with MLB rules, both Garcia and Scherzer will be ineligible to return for the rest of the World Series.

For Tuesday, Travis Jankowski drew the start in right field in Garcia’s place and will bat ninth. Designated hitter Mitch Garver moved up from the fifth spot in the lineup to the third.

Garcia hit the game-winning home run in the 11th inning of Game 1. He had already set the record for most RBIs in a single postseason (22).

Scherzer left his Game 3 start with what the Rangers called back tightness. He said after the game his back “went into full spasm.”

Scherzer, a trade deadline acquisition from the New York Mets, would have been in line to start a potential Game 7 if healthy.

–Field Level Media

Diamond (Bounce) Backs

by

PHOENIX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Texas Rangers look to grab a commanding 3-1 advantage tonight when they face the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 4 of the World Series at Chase Field.

Embed from Getty Images

 

Texas took Game 3 Monday night 3-1 on the strength of its pitching and a two-run home run from Corey Seager, the one-time World Series MVP’s second two-run home run of this series.

Pitchers Max Scherzer, Jon Gray, Josh Sborz, Aroldis Chapman and Jose Leclerc held the Diamondbacks to a run on six hits. Arizona had scored a combined 14 runs in the first two games of the series.

Game 4 looks like a bullpen game for both teams. Left-hander Andrew Heaney (0-0) is set to make his third start and fifth appearance for the Rangers this postseason, with six innings pitched and four runs allowed on seven hits thus far.

Heaney has a 6.00 earned run average and opponents are batting .292 against him this postseason. Heaney went 10-6 with a 4.15 ERA in the regular season and made 28 starts, with nine wins as a starter.

The Diamondbacks counter with lefty Joe Mantiply, an All-Star in 2022 who made his first career World Series appearance in Game 1. He pitched a scoreless inning.

Mantiply is 2-0 with a 4.26 ERA over eight career postseason appearances (all this season). He did not allow an earned run over his last six games of the regular season (8 1/3 innings) and had a 1.38 ERA over 10 games in September.

The Rangers have opened the postseason with nine consecutive road wins, tying a Major League Baseball record.

“We’re just showing up to play every day. We’re trying to win that day. No matter where you are, we’re trying to play good baseball every day,” Seager said. “I don’t know how to credit it to anything other than that, really.”

The Rangers hope to have a healthy Adolis Garcia back in the lineup on Tuesday after he left Monday’s game with left side tightness. Garcia hit a walk-off home run in Game 1, giving the slugger eight in the postseason, and he has also driven in 22 runs.

“We’re being optimistic there but we’ll know more tomorrow,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said of Garcia after Game 3.

The Diamondbacks come off their first World Series game at their home ballpark in 22 years. They won the World Series in 2001, the franchise’s only championship.

Arizona is 16-10 at home in the postseason all time.

Second baseman Ketel Marte has hit safely in each of his first 19 postseason games, the longest streak in MLB postseason history. He has 22 hits.

“At the end of the day we do have to be better. I think our offense is very capable against any type of pitching, whether it’s a reliever or starter. We just got beat. We got beat. We got maybe out-executed. And we’ve got to figure that out,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said after Game 3.

The Diamondbacks used Kyle Nelson, Miguel Castro, Luis Frias and Andrew Saalfrank out of their bullpen in Game 3. That should leave them with their top relievers rested and available for Game 4 after Mantiply departs.

Ryne Nelson, Ryan Thompson, Kevin Ginkel and closer Paul Sewald are in line to pitch in Game 4, especially in a close game.

–Jose M. Romero, Field Level Media

Judge Honored with Clemente Award

by

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – NY Yankees star Aaron Judge was named the 2023 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor given to the Major League Baseball player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.”

Embed from Getty Images

Judge, 31, followed up his 2022 American League MVP campaign by recording 37 home runs and 75 RBIs over 106 games in 2023 as the Yankees missed the playoffs.

Off the field, Judge’s ALL RISE Foundation continued to support underprivileged kids in his native California and New York. The foundation gave grants this year to six organizations: Bridge2College, NYC Autism Charter Schools (NYCACS), Tourette Association of America, Edward C. Merlo Institute of Environmental Technology (SUSD), Resiliency Center of Fresno and Birch Family Services.

The award was established in 1973 in honor of Clemente, the first Caribbean-born player and first Latin American to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Commissioner Rob Manfred, Clemente’s three children, former players and a panel of journalists help select each year’s winner.

Clemente died while personally organizing and transporting relief supplies to the people of Nicaragua.

–Field Level Media

2023 World Series: Scherzer for Game 3

by

PHOENIX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Veteran right-hander Max Scherzer will take the ball for Game 3 of the World Series tonight when the Texas Rangers visit the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Embed from Getty Images

It will be the third start of the postseason for Scherzer, who missed five-plus weeks with a teres major muscle injury in his pitching shoulder before making two starts in the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.

Scherzer (0-1, 9.45 ERA this postseason) pitched just 6 2/3 innings in the two starts, but Texas manager Bruce Bochy is confident the three-time Cy Young Award winner can pitch deeper into the game this time.

“I think so. He could give us length,” Bochy said of Scherzer on Saturday. “I’ve talked to him about this. He’s comfortable pretty much throwing like he normally does. Maybe not quite as long as he’s been over 100 pitches, whatever, but pretty close.”

Scherzer is 7-8 with a 3.86 ERA in 29 career postseason appearances (24 starts). He is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three World Series starts. Scherzer, 39, initially was a first-round draft choice by the Diamondbacks in 2006 and pitched a year in the majors for Phoenix in 2008-09 before being traded to the Detroit Tigers.

At Chase Field, he is 11-8 with a 3.86 ERA 29 appearances (25 starts), with 175 strikeouts in 156 1/3 innings.

Arizona named rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (0-0, 2.70) as its Game 3 starter. Arizona has won all four of Pfaadt’s starts this postseason.

–Field Level Media

NFL Week 8 Round-Up

by

NASHVILLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Tennessee QB Will Levis threw four touchdown passes, including three to DeAndre Hopkins, as the Titans held off a late surge by the Atlanta Falcons for a 28-23 win.

Levis completed 19 of 29 passes for 238 yards in his NFL start for Tennessee (3-4). Hopkins had four receptions for a team-high 128 yards.

Embed from Getty Images

Derrick Henry had 22 carries for 101 yards and added four receptions for 21 yards. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine added a 33-yard scoring reception to give the Titans a commanding 28-16 lead with 6:59 to go in the fourth quarter.

Atlanta cut the lead to 28-23 on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Heinicke to Scotty Miller with 3:46 left in the game. But the Falcons (4-4) were stopped on downs on their last possession following a Titans punt.

Desmond Ridder completed 8 of 12 passes for 71 yards before leaving the game due to concussion protocol. He was sacked five times. Heinicke replaced Ridder and completed 12 of 21 passes for 175 yards.

Jets 13, Giants 10 (OT)

Greg Zuerlein converted the game-tying and game-winning field goals for the Jets to stun the host Giants in overtime in rain-soaked East Rutherford, N.J.

The Jets (4-3) forced overtime when Zuerlein drilled a 35-yard field goal as time expired in regulation. The Giants’ Graham Gano had missed his own 35-yarder with 24 seconds left. The Giants (2-6) went three-and-out to start the extra session, and the Jets — aided by a pass interference call on Adoree’ Jackson — traveled 46 yards in six plays to set up Zuerlein’s winner.

Zach Wilson finished 17-for-36 passing for 240 yards and one touchdown for the Jets. Quarterback Tommy DeVito, an undrafted rookie and New Jersey native, came in for the Giants when starter Tyrod Taylor suffered a rib injury during the second quarter and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.

Embed from Getty Images

Broncos 24, Chiefs 9

Russell Wilson became the first Denver quarterback since Peyton Manning to defeat Kansas City as the Broncos claimed a home victory.

The Chiefs had won 16 straight games against Denver, dating back to 2015. Wilson was 12-of-19 passing for 114 yards with three touchdowns. The Denver defense forced five Kansas City turnovers.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes fell to 29-4 vs. the AFC West in his career. This was his first loss in a division road game. He finished 24-of-38 passing for 241 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble. It also was Mahomes’ first loss to the Broncos in 13 career starts.

Panthers 15, Texans 13

Eddy Pineiro kicked a 23-yard field goal on the game’s final play and Carolina won for the first time under first-year coach Frank Reich, beating Houston in Charlotte, N.C.

Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young, the first overall draft pick, directed the decisive 15-play, 86-yard drive that used the final 6:17 of the game. The Panthers (1-6) became the last team in the NFL to win a game this season, while the Texans (3-4) lost for just the second time in their last five games.

Young finished 22-of-31 passing for 235 yards and a touchdown. Houston’s C.J. Stroud was 16 of 24 for 140 yards and had a touchdown run.

Cowboys 43, Rams 20

Cornerback DaRon Bland cashed in another interception for a touchdown, Dak Prescott threw four TD passes and Dallas cruised to a comfortable win over Los Angeles in Arlington, Texas.

CeeDee Lamb caught two TDs and finished with 12 receptions for 158 yards and Prescott threw scoring passes to Brandin Cooks and Jake Ferguson in a game in which the Cowboys (5-2) led by 30 just before halftime.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford left the game in the third quarter with a right hand injury. He was 13 of 22 for 162 yards with a touchdown. Royce Freeman scored on a 1-yard run and led the Rams (3-5) with 44 rushing yards on nine carries.

Vikings 24, Packers 10

Kirk Cousins completed 23 of 31 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an Achilles injury, and Minnesota held on to beat host Green Bay.

Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson caught one touchdown pass apiece for Minnesota (4-4), which won its third game in a row. Cam Akers added a touchdown on the ground.

Jordan Love completed 24 of 41 passes for 229 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Green Bay (2-5). The Packers have lost four consecutive games.

Saints 38, Colts 27

Derek Carr threw two touchdown passes, Taysom Hill ran for two scores and Alvin Kamara had a touchdown run and a touchdown catch as visiting New Orleans held off Indianapolis.

Rashid Shaheed had 153 receiving yards and a touchdown on three catches as the Saints (4-4) had their largest point total in 20 games. Carr passed for 310 yards, while Hill accounted for 121 (63 rushing, 44 passing, 14 receiving).

Gardner Minshew passed for 213 yards and two touchdowns for the Colts (3-5), who lost their third straight game.

Dolphins 31, Patriots 17

Tyreek Hill caught eight passes for 112 yards and one touchdown in a milestone performance and Tua Tagovailoa passed for 324 yards and three touchdowns as Miami beat New England in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Hill became the first player to reach 1,000 receiving yards in the first eight games of a season during the Super Bowl era. Tagovailoa completed 30 of 45 passes with one interception while improving to 6-0 in career starts against Patriots coach Bill Belichick. The Dolphins improved to 6-2 on the season.

Mac Jones was 19-of-29 passing for 161 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for New England (2-6). Kyle Dugger had an interception and sack for the Patriots.

Jaguars 20, Steelers 10

Trevor Lawrence threw for 292 yards and a touchdown as Jacksonville stretched its winning streak to five games with a victory over host Pittsburgh.

Lawrence completed 24 of 32 passes with an interception. His biggest throw was a 56-yard scoring strike on a wheel route to running back Travis Etienne with 5:05 left in the third quarter, giving the Jaguars (6-2) a 17-3 lead. Etienne rushed 24 times for 79 yards and Evan Ingram caught 10 passes for 88 yards.

The Steelers (4-3) got within 17-10 when backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky found George Pickens for a 22-yard touchdown pass with 53 seconds remaining in the third. Trubisky relieved starter Kenny Pickett (rib) with 14 seconds left in the first half and completed 15 of 27 passes for 138 yards with two interceptions, one on a Hail Mary to end the game.

Eagles 38, Commanders 31

Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown delivered again, and Philadelphia denied another upset bid by Washington in a shootout in Landover, Md.

Hurts finished with four touchdown passes and 319 yards, including Brown’s eight receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns for the Eagles (7-1). They forced Washington quarterback Sam Howell into two fourth-quarter turnovers, with Haason Reddick recording a strip-sack off the left edge with 2:13 left to play.

Howell completed 39 of 52 passes for 397 yards and four touchdowns, Jahan Dotson had a team-high eight catches for 108 yards and a score and Jamison Crowder caught seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown for the Commanders (3-5).

Seahawks 24, Browns 20

Geno Smith threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 38 seconds remaining as Seattle defeated visiting Cleveland.

The win, combined with the San Francisco 49ers’ third straight loss, left Seattle (5-2) alone atop the NFC West.

P.J. Walker, starting for the injured Deshaun Watson (strained right rotator cuff), failed in his bid to guide the Browns (4-3) to a third consecutive comeback victory. He completed 15 of 31 passes for 248 yards with one touchdown but threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.

Ravens 31, Cardinals 24

Gus Edwards rushed for 80 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, and Baltimore notched a win over Arizona at Glendale, Ariz.

Lamar Jackson completed 18 of 27 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown for the Ravens (6-2), who won their third consecutive game. Mark Andrews, who grew up in nearby Scottsdale, had a touchdown reception while Edwards registered his first game with multiple rushing touchdowns since Oct. 23, 2022, against the Browns.

Joshua Dobbs passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another for Arizona (1-7), which has lost five games in a row. Dobbs completed 25 of 37 passes for 208 yards with two interceptions.

Bengals 31, 49ers 17

Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes and Cincinnati’s defense intercepted Brock Purdy twice as the Bengals beat San Francisco in Santa Clara, Calif.

Burrow finished 28-of-32 passing for 283 yards with touchdown passes to Tyler Boyd, Andrei Iosivas and Ja’Marr Chase. At one point in the first half, Burrow completed 19 straight passes for the Bengals (4-3).

The Bengals won their third straight game while the Niners (5-3) lost their third in a row after winning their first five. San Francisco also had its 11-game home winning streak (regular season and postseason) snapped.

–Field Level Media

Ketel, Kelly Power DBacks; Even Series

by

DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Arizona SP Merrill Kelly went seven strong innings, while teammate Ketel Marte set a major league record by extending his playoff hitting streak to 18 games and the Arizona Diamondbacks got even in the World Series with a 9-1 victory over the Texas Rangers in Game 2 on Saturday at Arlington, Texas.

Embed from Getty Images

Gabriel Moreno hit a home run, Tommy Pham had four hits and Corbin Carroll drove in a pair of runs on two hits for Arizona. Marte’s record-breaking hit was a two-run single in the eighth inning that gave Arizona a five-run lead.

Kelly (3-1) gave up one run on three hits with no walks and nine strikeouts and lowered his postseason ERA to 2.25 across 24 innings.

Arizona bounced back after a heartbreaking defeat in Game 1 when Texas’ Corey Seager hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning and Adolis Garcia hit a game-winning homer in the 11th.

After giving up two runs over six innings, Rangers starter Jordan Montgomery (3-1) was allowed to start the seventh, where he was charged with two more runs.

Mitch Garver hit a home run for the Rangers, who fell to 2-4 at home in the playoffs.

The series now shifts to Phoenix for Games 3, 4 and 5 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Arizona is 3-1 at home in the playoffs.

Moreno broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a solo shot to center field, his fourth home run of the playoffs. Christian Walker followed by grounding out to third base on a spectacular diving stop by Rangers third baseman Josh Jung, which failed to shift the momentum.

Pham then doubled for Arizona and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit an RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

Kelly was rolling early, not giving up his first hit until the Rangers’ Evan Carter smacked a single with two outs in the fourth inning. Garver brought Texas within a run at 2-1 with his homer in the fifth inning, his third of the playoffs.

The D-backs got to Montgomery quickly in the seventh with an Alek Thomas leadoff double and an RBI single from Evan Longoria. Left-hander Andrew Heaney replaced Montgomery, with Carroll delivering a two-out RBI single for a 4-1 advantage.

Marte’s two-run single in the eighth scored Pham and Emmanuel Rivera to give him 11 RBIs in the playoffs. Carroll added an RBI single in the inning for his 10th postseason RBI. Rivera plated two more with a single in the ninth.

–Field Level Media

Don’t Mess with Texas

by

DALLAS – Corey Seager belted a game-tying, two-run homer in the ninth inning and Adolis Garcia went deep in the 11th to give the Texas Rangers a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday in Arlington, Texas.

Embed from Getty Images

Arizona’s Paul Sewald converted all six of his previous save opportunities in the postseason before starting the ninth inning by issuing a walk to Leody Taveras. Seager stepped up two batters later and deposited a first-pitch fastball over the wall in right field to forge a 5-5 tie.

The homer was Seager’s fourth of this postseason and the fourth of his career during the World Series.

Jose Leclerc (1-1) retired the side in order in both the 10th and 11th innings to set the stage for the Rangers.

Miguel Castro (0-1) replaced Kyle Nelson with one out in the 11th and saw Garcia take his 3-1 sinker over the wall in right field. Garcia’s eighth homer of the postseason pushed his RBI total to 22, eclipsing David Freese (2011) for the most in one postseason in major league history.

Texas’ Evan Carter smacked an RBI double and scored on Garcia’s RBI single in the first inning.

Garcia had three hits, Carter and Josh Jung each had two for the Rangers, who snapped a three-game home losing skid. They will look to continue their momentum at home on Saturday in Game 2.

Arizona’s Corbin Carroll ripped a two-run triple in the third inning and scored on Ketel Marte’s fielder’s-choice grounder. Marte wasn’t done, as he smashed an RBI double in the fifth to extend his career postseason hitting streak to 17 games — matching the major league record shared by Hank Bauer (1956-58), Derek Jeter (1998-99) and Manny Ramirez (2003-04).

Tommy Pham homered to lead off the fourth inning and Alek Thomas had two hits for the Diamondbacks, who lost for just the second time in their past six games.

Carroll, who had a National League-best 10 triples this season, ripped a tied the game 2-2 with his triple in the third. The speedy Carroll then beat the throw home from first baseman Nathaniel Lowe on Marte’s grounder.

Mitch Garver worked a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the third before Pham deposited a 1-0 fastball from Nathan Eovaldi over the wall in left field to start the fourth. Pham’s homer was his third of the postseason and second in three games.

–Field Level Media