(Phoenix) Mitch Garver drove in the first run of the game with a single in the seventh and the Texas Rangers won the World Series for the first time in their 63-year history after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game 5, Wednesday. evening.
Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Rangers, who were held hitless for six innings by Zach Gallen, improved to 11-0 on the road in the postseason by clinching the World Series with three straight victories in the Arizona desert.
Photo by Matt Kartozian, USA TODAY SPORTS
Josh Spurs
In his first season as Rangers coach, Bruce Bochy won his fourth title, 13 years after his first in 2010, when the San Francisco Giants defeated the Rangers. He also won with the Giants in 2012 and 2014.
“I was sitting in a chair in Nashville, enjoying life, when they called me,” recalls the 68-year-old, who came out of retirement to coach the Rangers.
The day after a game in which the Rangers took a 10-run lead in the third inning, the Texans outlasted the Diamondbacks in an eight-run pitching duel, scoring four runs in the ninth inning to put up the finishing touch.
Gallen didn’t have a hit through the first six innings before giving up a single to Corey Seager, whose shortstop found an opening in the seventh. Rookie Evan Carter followed with a double to right-center field.
Garver then drove in the first run, pumping his fist as his hit crossed the infield to allow Seager to reach home plate.
Garver had just one hit in 17 official World Series at-bats before winning the match.
Photography by Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press
Zach Gallen
The Rangers scored four more runs in the ninth inning. Semien’s homer off Paul Seewald made it 5-0. The outburst was typical of the Rangers’ offense, who have scored at least three runs in an inning 13 times in the postseason.
“All the work I did was for this moment,” Semien said. Jalen was unbelievable tonight. But we found the solution. As soon as Corey took the first hit, everyone woke up. The shooters were incredible. »
Seager was also named World Series Most Valuable Player. He became the fourth player to win this honor for the second time, after Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson.
Nathan Eovaldi was consistently coming out of tight situations through the first six innings before Aroldis Chapman and Josh Spurs finished the job.
“I was joking on the bench: I don’t know how many rabbits are in my hat,” said Eovaldi, who improved to 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA during the playoffs. I didn’t do a really good job of attacking the strike zone. But the defense is incredible again. »
This is the Rangers’ first title dating back to 1961, when they joined the major leagues as an expansion under the Washington Senators identity.
They moved to Texas for the 1972 season and have since been AL champions in 2010 and 2011, before losing in the World Series to the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
Photography by Brynn Anderson, The Associated Press
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy raises the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Now, after five stadiums, nearly two dozen managers and 10,033 games, the Rangers are champions.
It wasn’t easy. The Rangers led the AFC West for most of the season, but were stripped of the title on the final day of the regular season schedule by the Houston Astros.
They also had to juggle major injuries, including one to star pitcher Jacob deGrom.
This defeat to the Seattle Mariners in the regular season finale dropped them to fifth place in America, forcing them to cross the country to start the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Rays. They traveled to four cities – two on each coast – in two weeks.
The Rangers then got revenge on the Astros, winning a hard-fought seven-game series to punch their ticket to the World Series.
Ultimately, the Rangers had to face the Diamondbacks, who eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies in quick succession despite only an 84-win season.
Gallen was one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball this season, being named a starter for the Nationals’ All-Star Game. But the 28-year-old athlete didn’t shine in the playoffs, as evidenced by his 2-2 record and 5.27 earned run average in five starts.
Things changed on Wednesday. The right-hander was at the top of his game as he retired the first 14 batters he faced before allowing a walk to Nathaniel Lowe.
Eovaldi was less effective, but kept the scoreless despite five free throws, his highest since 2013. He ultimately gave up four hits in six innings.
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