Texas Rangers should already be popping champagne in Houston, but celebrate a Game 7
How any of you are fans of the Texas Rangers, after all of these years, and specifically this American League Championship Series, continue to do this to yourself would mean a lifetime of counseling for most mortal souls.
Because the easiest thing to do here is bemoan the fact that the American League Championship Series should be over, and the Texas Rangers should be celebrating a trip to the World Series.
They should. This series should be over.
And, it’s not. Another reminder that baseball, and life, never goes the way they should.
Better get over Game 5, because the Rangers did; the most glorious of events is coming to Texas for a winner-take-all state title: Game 7 in Houston.
On Sunday night, the Rangers returned to their favorite Texas vacation home, Houston, to defeat the Astros at Enron Field, 9-2, in Game 6 of the ALCS.
Sunday night was the rarest of examples of the blowout that was never a blowout, until the Rangers scored five runs in the ninth inning. Four of those ninth-inning runs came from new Houston-fan favorite, Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia’s grand slam.
Garcia heard it from the Astros fans every time he walked out of the dugout, which during his previous four at bats resulted in ugly strikeouts. Strikeouts from a hitter who was trying to shut up a crowd determined to get into his head, which they had.
“That’s baseball justice at it’s finest,” Rangers catcher Jonah Heim said after the game. “I don’t even know how you boo a guy for getting hit. He quieted them all pretty quick.”
Garcia is the one who hit what should have been the difference-making three-run home run in Game 5 on Friday in Arlington; but a hit-by-pitch in the eighth inning got in the way, the Rangers lost, and Garcia has become a favorite of Houston fans.
He said Astros pitcher Bryan Abreu hit him intentionally, which ... who cares now?
When Game 6 was still close, in the bottom of the eighth inning with Houston trailing by two, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy went directly went to his other Game 5 donkey, closer Jose Leclerc.
Even though there was a left handed hitter at the plate, Bochy skipped reliever Aroldis Chapman in favor of the guy who gave up a game-losing three-run home run in his previous appearance.
“We all believe in him,” Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien said of Leclerc. “I told him we’re going to lean on him. His fastball is so good right now.”
It was on Sunday night as Leclerc left the bases loaded, and the Astros were done.
“For me, whatever happened Friday, today is a new day,” Leclerc said. “Not trying to think about what happened before.”
Rangers fans, Astros fans, Texans, we all win on Monday night with a Glorious Game 7. As God intended.
From the mountains of Big Bend National Park to the shores of Caddo Lake, to the scenic beaches of Galveston, to the traffic jams in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, San Antonio and Austin, every TV, computer, phone, Ipad and tablet at 7 p.m. on Monday will be locked on Rangers at Astros.
Whatever happens here in Houston on Monday night, the series has delivered all of the essentials to make something that we will all remember.
There is no home field advantage, as the road team is now perfect in the series. This odd little detail is something that Rangers shortstop Corey Seager said doesn’t even register, which ... not sure how that’s possible, but sure.
Max Scherzer will start for the Rangers on Monday night against Cristian Javier for Houston; this is the same matchup from Game 3, which Scherzer lost in his first appearance in more than a month.
If you are looking for a reason to be optimistic about Scherzer, who was as sharp as a bucket of pudding in Game 3, look back to another Game 7. Also in Houston. In 2019.
Scherzer was with the Washington Nationals, and took a cortisone shot to deal with an arm injury that was so bad he could barely lift his elbow over his shoulder; in that Game 7, he allowed two runs in five innings as the Nationals won the World Series.
He cannot possibly be counted on to do on Monday night what Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi delivered on Sunday night. The Rangers needed Eovaldi to do everything he has been doing in these playoffs to have any chance to push this series to a Game 7.
After a shaky first few innings, Eovaldi settled in and allowed two runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He has been the most effective pitcher in this series, and if the Rangers somehow do win this series, he should very likely win the MVP.
On Monday night, there will be a loser and it’s going to sting for a long time.
The real winner will be Texas (not just the Rangers), and specifically Texans. The winner of this Texas state title goes to the World Series.
This story was originally published October 22, 2023 at 10:15 PM.
