What a way to make it back to the World Series! The Texas Rangers have at long last made it back to the World Series as they beat their Texas rivals Houston Astros in DOMINATING fashion with a 11-4 Game 7 win.
The Astros have been slain…by their own Texas rivals!
Despite being faced off against the reigning World Series champion and 2X reigning AL champion Houston Astros, the Texas Rangers overcame all the doubt and inexperience of a newfound challenging roster as they decimated the Astros 11-4 in Game 7 to take the series 4-3 and earn the AL Pennant and have a chance for the World Series. And, being honest, I really did not expect this outcome.
Okay, the last time I wrote about the Astros vs. Rangers series, Houston had just come back from an 0-2 deficit to even up the series and would eventually take a 3-2 series lead the very next day after the Rangers choked the series lead.
I mean, Max Scherzer, the Rangers most decorated and experienced pitcher, had just posted an ERA of 11.27 in Game 3, the Rangers had gotten blown away 10-3 in Game 4, Jose Altuve hit a 3-run, game-winning home run in the Top of the 9th in Game 5 to help Houston win 5-4 and go up 3-2 in the series, and Game 6 and 7 were set to take place at Minute Maid Park…the very park that had seen the last two AL champions come through.
Aside from diehard Rangers fans, did anyone really think that Texas, who had just spent the last six years in misery outside of the playoffs, would really walk into Houston, somehow damper an Astros batting order that had 20X as much playoff experience as the Rangers and just scored 18 runs in the last two games, and ALSO BEAT Houston TWICE?!?!?
I know I didn’t…and for good reason as the Rangers couldn’t just beat the Astros twice. They DESTROYED THEM!
I don’t know how they did it, but not only did the Rangers dam the Astros scoring spree completely, but they also solved and diced up their bullpen too. Game 6 was a complete and utter rout as Nathan Eovaldi, the Rangers 2nd most decorated and experienced pitcher, won his fourth straight start (4-0) by bitch slapping the Astros batting order with 4 strikeouts, 51 strikes, giving up just 2 runs, and posting an ERA of 2.42 for 6.1 innings against the likes of Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Jose Abreu, Alex Bregman, Michael Brantley, Jeremy Pena, etc.
Sure, he had a few hits (5) allowed, but he got the necessary outs when he needed, and his relievers completely shut up shop for the remaining 3 innings. And, then in Game 7 yesterday, Max Scherzer more than redeemed himself with…4 hits allowed, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, a home run, and an ERA of 9.45 in just 2.2 innings? Wait, Scherzer nearly lost the series for the Rangers…again?
Yeah, this really has to be Scherzer’s final year in the Majors as he was again AWFUL, but at least Chirstian Javier was a sleeper cell for the Rangers with him giving up 3 runs, 1 home run, 4 hits, and an ERA of 4.02 (which isn’t actually too bad considering his stat line) in LESS THAN ONE INNING!
So, it was actually Jordan Montgomery who stepped in, won his third straight game (3-0), posted a strikeout, 22 strikes, no runs, no home runs, no walks, and only three hits for a 2.16 ERA and cleaned up a potential scoring situation for the Astros. And that was pretty much all she wrote for Houston as in both games the Rangers batting order topped off the good work of their pitchers with an EXPLOSION of offense.
In Game 6, the Rangers scored 9 RUNS in the 9th inning, had 10 hits, and three home runs to win 9-2. Then, in Game 7, the Rangers just curb stomped any hope of a third-straight World Series appearance for the Astros as they scored 4 runs in the first two innings, 15 hits overall, 11 runs (with 4 coming in the 4th), and Adolis Garcia officially cemented himself as the Astros’ Daddy with him hitting two home runs, 4 hits on five plate appearances, 3 runs, and 5 RBIs.
Oh, and that was just in the last game. He has an ALCS-record 4-straight games of hitting a home run…and they all obviously came against the Astros.
Obviously, guys like Cody Seager (2 runs, 3 hits, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB, .333 avg.), Marcus Siemen (1 run, 1 hit, 1 BB, .192 avg.), Jonah Heim (2 hits, .245 avg.), Evan Carter (2 runs, 1 hit, 2 RBI, 1 BB, .308 avg.), etc. had great games as well, but Garcia just completely owned and destroyed the Astros this series. And I mean OWNED them.
Nevertheless, we’ll have to wait and see who the Rangers face off against in the World Series, though that’s probably not going to matter as they are now the favorites to win the World Series!
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