Game 6 is immortal, but Game 5 of the 2011 World Series was baseball’s best
.JPG "The best of the Texas Rangers: Catcher Mike Napoli (25) hits a decisive double in the eighth inning that put the Rangers ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of the 2011 World Series. The Rangers would take a 3-2 series lead on October 24, 2011. (Star-Telegram/Rodger Mallison)")
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When the ball off Mike Napoli’s bat dropped into the right center field gap, the Texas Rangers were going to win the 2011 World Series.
Seldom does sound generate feel. As Michael Young and Nelson Cruz scored on Napoli’s bottom-of-the-eighth inning double against the St. Louis Cardinals, every Rangers fan watching felt sound. They created it.
Before Napoli’s double, the Rangers and Cardinals were tied 2-2 in the 2011 World Series. Before Napoli’s double, Game 5 was tied 2-2.
After Napoli’s double, the Rangers had never been this close to winning a World Series. They had never had a series lead in this, or the 2010, World Series. That was the extent of their entire World Series history.
Although the 2011 World Series is forever known for a later date, October 24, 2011, was the finest of the Texas Rangers, and one of the best games in any sport I will ever see.
The entire night was the best of baseball.
The weather was 72 degrees. There was no wind. rom my seat in the auxiliary left field press box, which was the actual stands with a makeshift “desk” over the seats, there were no empty spots The Ballpark in Arlington.
Team president Nolan Ryan sat in his seat, just to the left of the team’s dugout behind home plate, with his “good friend,” new owner Ray Davis. Team general manager Jon Daniels sat in a suite with his family.
The Cardinals took a 2-0 lead against Rangers’ starter C.J. Wilson in the second inning.
Despite the deficit, nothing felt unattainable against the Cardinals, or their starting pitcher, Chris Carpenter.
We might have forgotten how loaded that ‘11 Rangers lineup was; Michael Young. Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton. Mike Napoli. Adrian Beltre.
Mitch Moreland tagged Carpenter with an upper deck solo home run in the bottom of the third inning.
Trailing 2-1 with two outs in the sixth inning, Beltre dropped to a knee to launch a Carpenter pitch. Fox’s Joe Buck offered the call with his understated delivery: “Breaking ball is hammered. Deep into left ... and Game 5 is tied.”
After that, tension draped over the entire ballpark. All that tension did was squeeze as a vice grip over everyone watching.
The Cardinals loaded the bases in the seventh, but failed to score.
In the bottom of the eighth, Young led off with a double against reliever Octavio Dotel. After Beltre struckout, Cruz was issued an intentional walk.
David Murphy followed with grounder that deflected off new Cardinals pitcher Marc Rzepczynski’s left knee, and the bases were loaded.
While Lance Lynn warmed up in the Cardinals’ bullpen, Rzepczynski settled in to face the right-handed hitting Napoli. At that point, Rzepczynski had struckout the three right handers Rangers he had faced in the series.
Every fan was on their feet. The chant of, “Nap-oh-lee! Nap-oh-lee! Nap-oh-lee!” echoed as he took the 0-1 pitch low.
Rzepczynski’s third pitch was a miss; he left a breaking ball out over the far corner of the plate, which allowed Napoli to extend his arms and drive it.
Napoli drove it deep into the center field gap and the ball short hopped the wall.
As the ball left his bat, the entire Ballpark created the thunderous, “Yeeeeeeeeeeeah!”
Rangers manager Ron Washington wiggled his butt as Young and Cruz crossed home plate.
Never has the Ballpark sounded any louder. All of that tension was transferred into screams and cheers.
In that moment, surrounded by so much joy, a block of cement would have felt happiness at the sights and sounds of so many people congregated in one spot enjoying a point in their life they would never forget.
The team that could never win the World Series was a game away.
While the Rangers fans did not take for granted the enormity of this moment, we all thought nothing of the enormity that is the opportunity to assemble in the same spot.
Just as he would a few days later, Rangers closer Neftali Feliz came in the bottom of the ninth.
He hit lead off batter Allen Craig. Up walked Albert Pujols. On a 3-2 pitch, Feliz struckout Pujols and catcher Napoli threw out Craig at second base.
It was the second time that night Napoli threw out a would-be base stealer.
The game ended on a Lance Berkman strikeout.
The Texas Rangers led the 2011 World Series three games to two.
In the Rangers’ clubhouse after the game, the feeling of optimism was unmistakable. They knew they had not won it, but they knew had it.
Shortly thereafter, they would fly to St. Louis for Game 6.
Game 6 is immortal, but for those who were there at the Ballpark, or watching elsewhere, we all remember Game 5 was baseball at its best, too.
