By STEPHEN HAWKINS (AP Baseball Writer)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adolis García took just a few steps whereas watching the ball earlier than tossing his bat apart after one other massive swing this postseason. This one received an prolonged Game 1 of the World Series for the Texas Rangers.
Once his drive cleared the right-field wall within the backside of the eleventh, two innings after Corey Seager’s tying two-run homer, García thrust his proper arm excessive into the air as he began a trot across the bases that ended with him being mobbed at house plate — and a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks to start out this shock World Series of wild-card groups Friday night time.
“He’s on another planet,” Rangers rookie Josh Jung mentioned. “Every time he steps into the box it’s like, grab your popcorn. … I have no words. It’s just like, wow.”
Miguel Castro entered to face García with one out, and the Cuban slugger generally known as El Bombi drove a 3-1 sinker the opposite means into the second row of seats past a leaping Corbin Carroll. It was García’s second RBI of the sport, setting a file for many in a single postseason with 22.
García has homered in 5 consecutive video games, tied for the second-longest streak in postseason historical past, and he delivered the primary walk-off homer within the World Series since Max Muncy linked main off the 18th inning of Game 3 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 in opposition to Boston and Nathan Eovaldi — who began for the Rangers on this one.
“It was an exciting moment,” García mentioned. “I was just looking to the dugout, looking at all my (happy) teammates.”
García, the AL Championship Series MVP, additionally had an RBI single within the first following rookie Evan Carter’s run-scoring double. He completed with three hits and reached base 5 occasions.
He was hit on the left hand by a 92 mph fastball within the ninth however shook it off and promptly stole second base.
“I got lucky that it’s nothing worse,” García mentioned.
In the primary extra-inning sport of this postseason, Texas grew to become the primary staff to win a World Series sport when trailing by a number of runs within the ninth because the 2015 Kansas City Royals of their clinching Game 5 in opposition to the New York Mets.
Game 2 is Saturday night time in Texas, with Merrill Kelly scheduled to pitch for Arizona in opposition to Jordan Montgomery.
Seager tied it within the ninth when he drove nearer Paul Sewald’s fastball deep into the right-field stands with one out after the inning started with No. 9 hitter Leody Taveras drawing a stroll.
“Everyone just started jumping for joy,” García mentioned. “We were able to exhale.”
Normally fairly stoic, Seager had one other emphatic present of emotion this postseason, instantly turning and yelling towards the dugout with the ball headed for the seats. He thrust each arms into the air when he rounded first base.
“He might have turned it up a notch, to be honest. He saved us there,” Rangers supervisor Bruce Bochy mentioned. “You can see it in him. He gets everybody fired up.”
José Leclerc retired all six batters he confronted for the win, and 5 Texas relievers mixed for six 1/3 scoreless innings.
The blown save for Sewald, first in seven probabilities this postseason, was the primary evident blip for a Diamondbacks bullpen that’s been sensible in October.
“It’s frustrating. This is how the game goes sometimes. And we’ve got to find a way to be resilient and adaptable and come out with a clean mind and do our best,” Arizona supervisor Torey Lovullo mentioned. “I have every reason to believe we will. We’ve done it a lot this year.”
Seager’s tying shot was much like the solo homer he hit in Game 7 of the ALCS at Houston 4 nights earlier, and the response was as nicely. That one put the Rangers forward to remain within the collection clincher, with the All-Star shortstop giving an enormous hand slap to 3rd base coach Tony Beasley and leaping within the dugout along with his teammates.
“Very emotional times. He hit those balls so hard. If I did that, I’d be screaming, too,” Texas second baseman Marcus Semien mentioned.
“This is fun. This is playoffs. This is kind of what it’s all about,” Seager mentioned. “It was a cool moment, for sure.”
Game 1 of the World Series went to further innings for the second 12 months in a row — which had by no means occurred. Unlike the common season, there are not any automated runners positioned at second base to start out further innings within the postseason.
Arizona had a 4-3 lead after Tommy Pham hit a tiebreaking homer main off the fourth. An inning later, Ketel Marte’s RBI double matched a file by stretching his postseason hitting streak to 17 video games. Marte is the one participant to get successful in every of his first 17 postseason video games.
Carroll hit a two-run triple for the Diamondbacks and dashed house on Marte’s grounder within the third. Texas tied it within the backside half when Zac Gallen walked Mitch Garver with the bases loaded.
Gallen made it by way of 5 innings with a gritty effort for Arizona after the NL All-Star starter trailed 2-0 solely 4 batters into the sport. He equaled his season excessive with 4 walks.
Ryan Thompson, Joe Mantiply and Kevin Ginkel every pitched a scoreless inning earlier than Sewald entered.
Two seasons after each groups misplaced greater than 100 video games, the Diamondbacks and Rangers are matched up within the third all-wild card World Series — and first since 2014.
These runnin’ Diamondbacks had 4 stolen bases, and their 20 this postseason are probably the most by any staff because the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays set the file with 24. Arizona even had fairly a rarity in its three-run third inning, when it had a sacrifice bunt, a triple and a stolen base.
Eovaldi’s eight strikeouts have been probably the most by a Texas pitcher in a World Series sport, however the massive right-hander allowed 5 runs over 4 2/3 innings after giving up solely 5 runs complete whereas profitable his first 4 begins this postseason.
Both groups acquired this far after having to win Games 6 and seven of their respective League Championship Series on the street, which had by no means occurred in each LCS matchups since these collection expanded to a best-of-seven format in 1985.
“It’s going to be a really good series,” García mentioned.
NOW AND THEN
Evan Longoria’s single for Arizona within the third matched his hit complete within the 2008 World Series, when as a rookie with the Rays he completed 1 for 20. He grew to become the primary place participant in MLB historical past to seem in a World Series 15 years after first enjoying within the Fall Classic. He additionally grew to become the fourth participant with a World Series hit at each age 23 or youthful AND 38 or older. The others: Eddie Murray, Pee Wee Reese and Willie Mays.
DO YOU ONE BETTER
García’s walk-off homer got here 12 years to the day after David Freese hit a game-ending shot within the eleventh inning for the St. Louis Cardinals in opposition to Texas in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. That was the sport when Texas was twice inside one strike of profitable the title earlier than Freese tied the sport with a two-out triple within the ninth. Freese had 21 RBIs that postseason, the file García broke.
UP NEXT
Kelly, a 35-year-old right-hander, is 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA in three postseason begins.
Montgomery pitches for the Rangers on regular relaxation after the left-hander threw 2 1/3 innings Monday in aid to win Game 7 of the ALCS in opposition to Houston. The 30-year-old trade-deadline acquisition and pending free agent is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA this postseason.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com