November 3rd, 2023 Week 29: MLB World Series Final

Texas Rangers, the 52-Year Wait is Over

If you are a baseball fan, you probably know that the Texas Rangers have finally won their first World Series title in franchise history. They did it by defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games, with a 5-0 victory in the decisive Game 5 on Wednesday night at Chase Field.

But do you know how they did it? How they overcame Arizona ace Zac Gallen’s no-hit bid, how they got a gutsy performance from starter Nathan Eovaldi, and how they unleashed their powerful bats in the late innings?

In this blog post, I will give you a summary of the thrilling Game 5 that crowned the Rangers as champions and ended MLB’s longest title drought among title-less teams. I will also share some of the key moments and stats that made this game and this series memorable.

Key Takeaways

• The Rangers became the first team in MLB history to go 11-0 on the road in the postseason. They also ended their 52-year wait for a championship, which was the longest among teams that had never won a title.
• Zac Gallen pitched six no-hit innings with his team facing elimination, becoming the first pitcher to do so in World Series history. He allowed one run on two hits in the seventh and was charged with the loss.
• Nathan Eovaldi stranded nine baserunners in six scoreless innings, despite allowing four hits and five walks. He pitched out of several jams, including a two-on, none-out situation in the third.
• The Rangers broke a scoreless tie in the seventh with Mitch Garver’s RBI single that scored Corey Seager, who broke up Gallen’s no-no with a soft grounder to the opposite side. They then took advantage of an untimely Alek Thomas fielding error to erupt with a four-run ninth highlighted by Marcus Semien’s two-run homer.

Game Recap

The game started as a pitchers’ duel between Gallen and Eovaldi, who both showed their mettle in what was, for eight innings, an ultra-tight tilt.

Gallen was efficient and dominant, retiring the first 18 batters he faced. He became the first pitcher in World Series history to pitch six no-hit innings with his team facing elimination.

Eovaldi, on the other hand, had to work hard to keep the D-backs off the board. He had baserunners abound, allowing four hits and five walks in six innings. But he was able to escape trouble time and time again, thanks to his fastball and slider. He also got some help from his defense, especially from third baseman Josh Jung, who made a diving stop to rob Gabriel Moreno of a hit in the fourth.

The game remained scoreless until the seventh, when Seager broke up Gallen’s no-no with a softly hit grounder to the opposite side. The ball reached the outfield grass because third baseman Evan Longoria had shifted toward shortstop.

The Rangers seized the moment and put two runners in scoring position with Evan Carter’s double. Garver then delivered a ground-ball single up the middle to bring Seager home with the game’s first run.

Gallen recovered to strike out Jung and was replaced by Kevin Ginkel, who got out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth.

But the Rangers were not done yet. They came out swinging against Arizona closer Paul Sewald in the ninth with consecutive singles from Jung and Nathaniel Lowe. Jonah Heim ripped a single to center that Thomas misplayed. The ball scooted toward the wall, as Jung and Lowe scooted home and Heim streaked to third. Two outs later, Semien went deep for the second time in as many nights to make it 5-0.

The D-backs had no answer for Texas relievers Taylor Hearn and Ian Kennedy, who combined for three perfect innings to seal the deal.

The Rangers celebrated their first championship in franchise history, ending their 52-year wait and MLB’s longest title drought among title-less teams.

Final Thoughts

The Rangers proved that they were the best team in baseball this year, with a balanced offense, a solid rotation, and a lockdown bullpen. They also showed their resilience and determination by winning every road game in the postseason.

The D-backs had a great season as well, winning their first NL pennant since 2001. They had a formidable ace in Gallen, a potent lineup led by Moreno and Thomas, and a deep bullpen anchored by Sewald. They just ran into a hotter team that had all the momentum.

This was a World Series that had everything: drama, suspense, excitement, and history. It was a fitting end to an amazing season that brought joy and hope to millions of fans around the world.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post and learned something new about the 2023 World Series. If you did, please share it with your friends and leave a comment below. And if you want to read more about the latest trending topics in baseball, sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup newsletter. Thank you for reading!