The Texas Rangers are favored by the oddsmakers to win the World Series. In the ninth inning last night, that seemed lad a bad prediction, but the Rangers rallied to take the momentum in the series. If you missed it and had to rely on Google News to find out what happened, you missed an exciting game.
After winning Game 1 of the World Series 3-2, the St. Louis Cardinals were winning Game 2 by a 1-0 score in a pitchers’ duel that had stifled the two best offenses in baseball. The Rangers were 3 outs away from a 2-0 series deficit, one from which few teams have come back.
Then in the ninth inning the offense came alive, thanks to good hitting and baserunning. Ian Kinsler singled to lead off the inning against closer Jason Motte. Kinsler then stole second, barely beating the throw from catcher Yadier Molina. With the runner in scoring position, Elvis Andrus swung slapped a single into shallow center. Kinsler was given a stop sign at third but ran through it before putting on the breaks. That may have distracted Albert Pujols, who missed the ball when attempting to cut off the throw from the outfield. That allowed Andrus to take second base, again barely beating a throw from Molina.
The baserunning was pivotal, with the next two batters, Josh Hamilton and Michael Young, hitting sacrifice flies to score both runners. The potent Texas offense, which hit the most home runs in the Majors, manufactured 2 runs in the ninth to take the lead. Flame-throwing closer Neftali Feliz then finished off the Cardinals in the bottom half of the inning.
It was the first time a team had trailed in the ninth and come back to win a World Series game since the Arizona Diamondbacks did it in Game 7 against the Yankees in 2001. The comeback puts the momentum back on the Rangers’ side. Not only did they tie the series in dramatic fashion, but by playing the next three games in Arlington, they have also stolen home-field advantage.
Bodog currently has the Rangers as -165 favorites over the Cardinals.