Title: Texas Rangers Continue Postseason Road Dominance with Game 3 Victory in World Series
Date: October 30, 2023
By: Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer
PHOENIX — The Texas Rangers extended their remarkable postseason road winning streak in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night, securing a 3-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. This win was fueled by a monumental home run from Corey Seager and an outstanding bullpen performance from Jon Gray.
With a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, the Rangers are now just two wins away from securing their first-ever championship in franchise history. However, their latest triumph came at a cost with crucial injuries to Max Scherzer and Adolis Garcia.
Scherzer, the ace pitcher for the Rangers, was forced to exit the game after three innings due to a back injury. In addition, Garcia, who has been instrumental in Texas’ offensive success this month, left the game clutching his left side after a flyout to end the eighth inning.
Despite the setbacks, the Rangers have now recorded an impressive nine consecutive victories on the road during this postseason. This surpasses the records previously held by the 1996 New York Yankees and the 2019 Washington Nationals for the most consecutive road wins within a single postseason. The Rangers ousted the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, and defending champion Houston Astros in their journey and are now halfway through eliminating the upstart Diamondbacks.
During the game, the Rangers’ middle infielders, Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, who were signed to a combined $500 million two seasons ago, played pivotal roles in securing the victory. In the top of the third inning, Semien hit an RBI single to left field, earning his third hit in 17 at-bats with runners in scoring position during this postseason. Seager then crushed a changeup for a 421-foot home run to right field, further solidifying his stature as one of the best offensive shortstops in postseason history, now tied with Carlos Correa for the second-most home runs by a shortstop in the playoffs with 18.
Scherzer signaled to the Rangers’ training staff during the fourth inning, signaling discomfort, and was subsequently removed from the game due to back tightness. This occurred two innings after being struck by a 93 mph one-hopper off his back from D-backs center fielder Alek Thomas. Jon Gray, traditionally a starter but utilized as a reliever in this postseason, delivered three scoreless innings, effectively transitioning the game to the Rangers’ high-leverage relievers.
In the eighth inning, the Diamondbacks managed to break through against Aroldis Chapman, with pinch-hitter Emmanuel Rivera hitting a leadoff double and Geraldo Perdomo driving him in with an RBI single. However, Chapman regrouped and struck out Corbin Carroll before inducing a crucial inning-ending double play off the bat of Ketel Marte, thanks to an exceptional sliding stop by Seager.
As the series progresses, the Texas Rangers aim to maintain their dominance on the road, hoping to capture their historic first championship. However, the team faces the challenge of managing key injuries to Max Scherzer and Adolis Garcia, who have been instrumental in their successful postseason run.
Note: This article was written by Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer, an experienced baseball reporter who has previously covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com.