Diamondbacks vs Rangers summary online: stats, scores and highlights | MLB World Series Game 1 highlights
Diamondbacks 5-6 Rangers
Rangers walk off the D-backs in the most exciting Game 1 ever
For the faithful in Dallas and Phoenix, it was legendary before it began. While the wider MLB world was busy complaining about two Wild Cards duking it out, and the lack of a 100-win team in the Fall Classic, supporters of both the Rangers and Diamondbacks were already drinking in the glory of their respective teams' accomplishments.
And both were confident that their boys could dig even deeper to privide the excitement that this series deserves.
In Game 1, they gave us a taste of that excitement, and boy did it live up to the promise! It was everything that we could have asked for and more!
While Texas played their own brand of pitch, hit, and run baseball that they have relied on all season, the Diamondbacks did the same. Get 'em on, move 'em over, bring 'em in.
Arizona laid down bunts, both for hit and as a sacrifice, and moved their men along the basepaths. They excel at small ball and they showed it tonight, stealing four bases for the fourth game this postseason, a new record. They hit the ball into the gap for extra bases. They did everything right and scored five runs, leading the game from the fifth inning onward.
And then the Rangers came back and pulled off the unlikely. I won't say impossible, because we have witnessed the Rangers doing it time and again all season. In the bottom of the ninth, down by two, Corey Seager hit a two-run blast to tie things up, breathing new life into the Rangers. Two innings later, Adolis Garcia walked it off with another home run to right field.
Seager and Garcia. Once again, they come up big. Two players who were built for October.
This game offered something for everyone. The purists who like old-fashioned tactical baseball were happy with the stealing and bunting. Glory hounds who love to see home runs were handsomely rewarded. In all of baseball history, it is hard to come up with a Game 1 that matches it.
And we are just getting started.
The Rangers have dropped series that they were leading. The Diamondbacks have won series that they were trailing. There is still a lot more baseball to come.
Game 2 will be back in Arlington tomorrow and will see Merrill Kelly square off with Jordan Montgomery. I, for one, can't wait!
Goodbye!
That is going to do it for our live coverage of the 2023 World Series Game 1 between the Diamondbacks and the Rangers. We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Keep abreast of all MLB and sports news with Diario AS USA and stick with us as we bring you all of the 2023 World Series live!
We will return tomorrow for Game 2 of the Diamondbacks vs Rangers from Arlington.
Until then, good night and God bless!
ADOLIS GARCIA WALK OFF HOME RUN!
Adolis Garcia will face the new pitcher and the first pitch is wildly outside. Nobody on so it is just an eye catching ball one.
The second delivery is in the dirt for ball two. Castro goes to his changeup and Garcia whiffs through it for a strike.
The next pitch is lifted to right field! It is way, way back and it is out of here! A walk off home run for El Bombi! Adolis Garcia wins Game 1 for Texas!
Pitching change
Miguel Castro comes on to take over on the mound from Kyle Nelson.
Bottom 11th
Evan Carter will lead off for Texas and he swings at strike one. A slider in the dirt evens the count before Carter swings at another slider for strike two. Another one in the dirt and the 2-2 delivery is lifted to right field for Corbin Carroll. One down
Alek Thomas the hitter and he lifts a foul to the left side. Josh Jung drifts over an gets under it to end the inning.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr up now and he falls behind in the count 1-2
Leclerc's delivery is fouled off before Gurriel swings through a beautiful slider for strike three. Two down
Top 11th
Tommy Pham leads off for the D-backs and he lifts the second delivery to left field for Evan Carter. One down.
Corey Seager up now and the first two sliders are in the dirt. 2-0
He chops a slow roller to second for Marte. The throw to first ends the inning. We go to 11!
Marcus Semien to the plate and he slaps the first delivery to left field for a single. Taveras advances to second on the play.
Leody Taveras the hitter and he works the count full. The payoff pitch misses inside for ball four.
Double play
Josh Jung up now and he fouls the first delivery. Nelson's second delivery misses and the third is chopped to short. Perdomo goes to second for one and one to the first to complete the double play!
Bottom 10th
Nathaniel Lowe leads off for the Rangers and he runs the count full. The payoff from Nelson misses low and the Rangers have a leadoff walk.
Pitching change
Kyle Nelson will take over on the mound from Paul Sewald and try to shut the Rangers down.
Christian Walker to the plate and he lifts a routine fly ball to center field for Taveras. We go to the bottom of the tenth!
Gabriel Moreno up now and he works the count full before the payoff delivery is blown past him for strike three. Two down.
Top 10th
Ketel Marte will lead things off for the D-backs in the tenth inning of Game 1 of the World Series!
Leclerc gets ahead of him 1-2 before Marte lines a hard shot to second. Semien grabs it and goes to first for the out.
Pitching change
Jose Leclerc will take over from Will Smith on the mound
Austin Hedges to hit now for the first time tonight. He took over behind the plate for Jonah Heim last inning and he chases three slurves low and away to go down. The Rangers leave two on but stay alive with a Corey Seager home run, sending this game to extra innings. After the regulation nine it is D-backs 5, Rangers 5
Intentional Walk
Sewald gives Garver the free pass with first base unoccupied.
Stolen base
Mitch Garver up now and on the first pitch, Garcia takes off! The throw is not in time and the winning run is in scoring position!
Hit by pitch
Adolis Garcia the batter now and he fouls off two to fall behind quickly 0-2
Sewald comes inside and hits Garcia on the hand.
Evan Carter up now and he fouls two off. A fastball outside misses and Carter fouls off another. 1-2
Another fastball is fouled off and we do it again. Carter swings through a sweeper and it is two away.
COREY SEAGER HOME RUN!
Corey Seager jumps on the first pitch and blasts it into the upper deck! He has tied the ballgame with one swing of the bat! Corey Seager has brought the Rangers back into it!
Marcus Semien the hitter and he swings through a slurve for strike one. Another one is fouled off and Semien is down in the count 0-2.
Sewald's deliver a high fastball and Semien goes down swinging.
Bottom 9th
Leody Taveras will lead things off for the Rangers as Emmanuel Rivera takes over at third base. The first delivery is a called strike and the second one misses high. Two more fastballs miss outside and the count runs to 3-1
Another fastball misses outside and the Rangers have the leadoff man on base.
Pitching change
The D-backs will bring on Paul Sewald to take over from Kevin Ginkel and try to slam the door on Game 1.
Corbin Carroll now and he jumps on the second delivery lifting it out to right field but Garcia is there and makes the leaping catch to end the inning.
Geraldo Perdomo the hitter to face the new pitcher and he works the count 2-2 before ripping a grounder to third. Josh Jung goes to first for the second out.
Pitching change
That is going to be it from Jon Gray and Bruce Bochy will ask Will Smith to take over and close it down.
Top 9th
Austin Hedges will take over behind the plate for the Rangers as Evan Longoria leads off in the ninth. Jon Gray comes at him with three pitches and he goes down swinging. One away.
Josh Jung to the plate with runners on first and second and two outs. He fights off a sinker, foul ball strike one.
Jung leaves a fastball high for ball before chopping one to short. Perdomo goes to first to end the inning and the Rangers strand two. After eight it is still 5-3
Nathaniel Lowe up now and he takes a fastball high and then swings through another to even the count. 1-1
Ginkel comes back at him with another elevated fastball and Lowe swings at it for strike two.
One more time, Ginkel dips in the well and Lowe lifts it to shallow left for Gurriel. Two down.
Heim works the count full and the payoff delivery is fouled back. Ginkel's second try at it is fouled off again.
The eighth pitch of the at bat is fouled back as well. Pitch number nine misses low and Heim draws the walk.
Stolen base on wild pitch
Jonah Heim the batter and he takes two fastballs high for balls one and two.
Ginkel comes after him with a slider and Heim can't hold back on the check swing. The ball is in the dirt and skips away from Moreno. Garcia advances to second on the wild pitch
Mitch Garver up now and he watches a ball and a strike. They are making Ginkel throw to them.
Garver swings at a slider and comes up empty. 1-2
Ginkel goes up top with an elevated fastball and gets Garver swinging for strike three.
Bottom 8th
Adolis Garcia leads off for the Rangers and he watches a strike and three balls go by.
The 3-1 delivery from Ginkel is a called strike. A full count without swinging the bat.
The payoff delivery is fouled off and the repeat is treated likewise.
The eighth delivery from Ginkel is ripped into center for a leadoff single.
Pitching change
Kevin Ginkel will take over from Joe Mantiply on the mound
Alek Thomas the hitter and he works the count full. The payoff delivery from Gray is a high fastball that gets Thoomas swinging for strike three.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr up now and he works the count 2-2 before ripping a shot back up the middle for a two out single
Tommy Pham the hitter now and he takes a fastball for strike one. A slider misses low and then another in the same spot and it is 2-1.
Pham fouls off the elevated fastball and the count is even. 2-2
Another is fouled back before Pham swings and misses at a slider away. Two gone.
Top 8th
Christian Walker leads off for the D-backs and he fouls off the first delivery from Gray. 0-1
The second pitch is fouled back as well and it is 0-2
Gray throws a slider up in the zone and Walker swings and misses. One down.
Evan Carter up now and the first delivery misses low before the sinker is fouled off.
Another foul and another ball and it is 2-2
Carter pops the curve up to short for Perdomo to end the inning.
Corey Seager up now and he fouls off four pitches before swinging at a peach of a sinker for strike three.
Bottom 7th
Marcus Semien will lead off here in the seventh and the first delivery is a called strike on the outside edge. The second is fouled off before Semien yanks a liner to left but Gurriel is able to get to it for out number one.
Pitching change
Joe Mantiply will take over on the mound for the D-backs
Gabriel Moreno will face the new pitcher and he lines a hard one to right field but Garcia is able to track it down and end the inning.
Pitching change
The Rangers will call on Jon Gray to take over from Bradford on the mound.
Ketel Marte up now and he rolls one to second for Semien. The spinning throw gets him at first, again by half a step, and it is two away.
Top 7th
Corbin Carroll leads off for the D-backs and he bunts one back to the mound. Bradford's flip to first just gets him! One down.
Leody Taveras to the plate and the first pitch misses inside for ball one. Thompson comes back and Taveras fouls one off.
Mantiply is up and working in the Diamondbacks bullpen.
The 1-1 delivery is called a strike and Taveras is in a hole, 1-2.
Taveras fouls one off and we do it again. Same pitch, same spot, same result.
The sixth delivery is popped up to the third base side and Moreno is able to get to it to end the inning.
Josh Jung the hitter and he rips the first delivery for a single up the middle. Heim advances to second.
Nathaniel Lowe up now and the first pitch misses low and in. Thompson hits the zone with a called strike and Lowe hits a long fly ball to right field. Carroll goes back to the track and comes down with it just in front of the wall! Two down.
Jonah Heim the hitter now and the sinker misses inside for ball one. Thompson tries outside but misses for ball two. Back to the sinker inside and it is 3-0.
The outside misses and Heim walks on four pitches.
Bottom 6th
Mitch Garver will lead off and the first delivery is a sinker for a strike. Another sinker misses inside and the 1-1 delivery is chopped to short. The throw to first and it is one away.
Pitching change
The Diamondbacks will dip into their bullpen and ask Ryan Thompson to take over from Zac Gallen.
The 3-1 delivery is in there and the count is full. Perdomo pokes the payoff to second but right at the glove of Semien for the final out.
Stolen base
Perdomo fouls the first delivery back and misses up high with a fastball and changeup. Another fastball misses high as Thomas takes off for second. Heim's throw is there but ricochets off the glove of Semien and it is 3-1.
Pitching change
Geraldo Perdomo to the plate and Bruce Bochy will make a pitching change, calling on Cody Bradford to take over.
Evan Longoria the hitter and the first pitch a sinker for strike one. Dunning goes back to the same spot for ball one.
Longoria fouls a sinker back and then holds off a slider low to even the count.
The 2-2 delivery is lifted to right field but right at Garcia. Two away
Infield hit
Alek Thomas up now and he gets behind 0-2 before slapping a slow roller up the middle. Semien gets to it on the slide but the throw is not in time. Infeld hit.
Top 6th
Lourdes Gurriel Jr leads off and pokes the second delivery to short. Seager is there and goes to first for out number one.
Adolis Garcia up now and he whiffs through a fastball for strike one. The curve misses and it is 1-1.
Garcis rips a hot shot to short for Perdomo. The throw to first and the Rangers go 1-2-3 in the fifth.
Evan Carter the hitter now and he fouls off three pitches to fall behind 0-2. A fastball misses high and a changeup misses low and the count is even. The 2-2 delivery is a beautiful curve and Carter swings and comes up empty. Strike three.
Bottom 5th
Corey Seager leads things off for Texas and the first pitch is in there for a strike. Another ball and then a foul set up a sharp grounder to first. Walker steps on the bag himself for the first out.
Pham chops the next pitch a very high bouncer to first. Lowe fields it and throws quickly to Dunning on the bag and just gets him for out three.
Stolen base
Tommy Pham the hitter and he will face the new pitcher. The first delivery in for a strike and one the second one, Christian Walker steals second with no throw from Heim.
Pitching change
That is going to be it for Nathan Eovaldi tonight as Bruce Bochy strides out to the mound and calls for Dane Dunning to take over.
Christian Walker the hitter and Evo misses outside with a fastball and a curve before a cutter misses high.
The 3-0 delivery is fouled back and it is 3-1
Walker lays off the low cutter for ball four.
Gabriel Moreno up now and the first two pitches miss outside. A cutter is fouled back and it is 2-1
Dane Dunning is up and working in the Rangers bullpen.
Moreno rolls a grounder to short and Seager goes to first for the out. Marte advances to third on the play.
DIAMONDBACKS SCORE
Ketel Marte up now and the first two miss inside before a splitter is fouled back. He lifts a shot off the wall in right center field for a double! Perdomo scores!
The count is full for Carroll and Eovaldi's payoff delivery is a beautiful high fastball that Carroll can never quite catch up to. Strike three and that is one away.
Stolen base
Corbin Carroll the hitter now and the first pitch is a pitchout. The Rangers are clearly concerned about Perdomo on first.
The second delivery misses high and the next misses outside.
The 3-0 delivery is in there for a strike. Perdoomo takes off as Carroll swings through the cutter. Stolen base.
Top 5th
Geraldo Perdomo will lead things off for the D-backs and he rips a shot back up the middle for a single.
Marcus Semien the hitter and he chases that same curve for strike one. He lays off the change and cutter for balls one and two.
Semien fouls off the middle-middle change to even the count. 2-2
The changeup is lifted into left field, a very long way! But Gurriel chases it down on the warning track to end the inning.
Leody Taveras to the plate and the changeup misses low for ball one. Gallen picks over to first to keep Jung close before getting Taveras to foul the high fast ball back.
The change up catches the outside corner and it is 1-2
Gallen delivers a curve and Taveras chases it for strike three.
Josh Jung the hitter now and he rips a line drive to right field for a single.
Bottom 4th
Nathaniel Lowe to get things going and he lifts the second delivery out to shallow left field for Gurriel. One away.
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Evan Longoria the hitter and Evo jumps out to an 0-2 lead. The count evens at 2-2 before a fastball paints the outside for a called strike three.
Alek Thomas up now and the first two miss before Evo evens it up with two splitters for strike. The 2-2 delivery is fouled back and we do it again. The curve is dribbled to first and Lowe fields it and flips it with his glove to Eovaldi on the bag. Just in time!
Lourdes Gurriel Jr is up now and he fouls off the first two to dig a hole. The 0-2 delivery is chopped to short for Seager. The throw to first and we have one away.
Top 4th
Tommy Pham leads off for Arizona and he cranks a massive home run on the second pitch! That was up in the upper deck! Just like that, the ComeBacks are back in front!
Jonah Heim the hitter now with the bases still loaded and two out.
The first pitch is fould back before the second is lifted to center. Routine fly for Alek Thomas and the Rangers strand three, but not before tying the game up at three.
RANGERS SCORE
Mitch Garver is up now with two outs and the bases loaded. He fouls the first pitch back for strike one.
Gallen's change up misses inside for ball one. He goes back to it and it misses in the same spot. 2-1
He tries the cutter and it misses outside. A high curve is called for strike two and the count is full.
The payoff delivery is fouled back. We do it again. Same pitch, same spot, same result. Still full.
The eighth delivery of the at bat misses low and he has walked in the tying run!
Adolis Garcia the hitter now and he draws the count level 2-2
The curve misses and the count is full. The payoff pitch misses low and the bases are loaded.
Double
Evan Carter to the plate and he pokes a shot down the third base line! Seager goes for third and is in there as Carter is in with a two out double!
Corey Seager the hitter now and he walks on five pitches.
Marcus Semien the hitter now and he falls behind 0-2.
He gets one back and the 1-2 delivery is that outstanding change up again for a swinging strike three. Two down.
Bottom 3rd
Leody Taveras leads things off for Texas and he falls behind 0-2 before working back to level. The 2-2 is that great change up that gets him swinging for strike three.
Christian Walker up now and he works the count full. The payoff delivery from Eovaldi is a splitter and Walker strikes out swinging.
But the D-backs are the kings of the comeback, taking the lead with a three run inning! After three, Arizona 3, Texas 2.
Stolen base
Gabriel Moreno up now and he gets behind in the count 1-2 before Marte takes off for second. Moreno swings and misses for strike three and the throw from Heim is not in time and Marte has a stolen base.
DIAMONDBACKS SCORE
Ketel Marte up now and he works the count to 3-1.
Marte rips one to first and Lowe comes back to home, but the throw is off line and the tag is not applied in time! Carroll scores on the fielders choice!
DIAMONDBACKS SCORE
Corbin Carroll up now and he swats a line drive to center field. Leody Taveras can't get to it and it gets past him! Both runners score! Carroll can run and he is in with a triple!
Sac bunt
Geraldo Perdomo the hitter now and he bunts the first pitch back to the mound. Eovaldi goes to first for the out and the runners advance 90 feet.
Evan Longoria now and he rips the first pitch to right field for a single. Thomas considers taking third but thinks better of it.
Top 3rd
Alek Thomas will lead things off for Arizona in the third and the first delivery is a called strike. He fouls off the next pitch before bouncing a high chopper over the mound. Seager charges it but the bounce was so high that ther is no chance for a play at first.
At the end of two innings, the D-backs 0, Rangers 2
Josh Jung the hitter and the first two fastballs are called strikes before he fouls off that changeup again. That has been his best pitch.
Jung takes a big hack at the curveball for strike three.
Nathaniel Lowe up now and watches the first two pitches for called strikes. The next two deliveries miss high before going back to that changeup which Lowe rolls to second for Marte. The easy play for first and it is two away.
Bottom 2nd
The Rangers will send up Jonah Heim to lead things off. He watches a fastball for strike one.
A cutter is fouled back and Heim is behind 0-2
The fastball is fouled back and we do it again. 0-2
Gallen delivers a changeup and Heim bounces it to second for Marte. The throw to first and it is one away.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr to the plate and he watches a called first strike before fouling another off. 0-2
A high fastball is fouled back and it is still 0-2
We do it again and this time, Gurriel chases that curveball outside for strike three.
Tommy Pham the hitter now and he gets short shrift, hacking at three splitters and coming up empty. Two gone
Top 2nd
Christian Walker will lead off in the second and he falls behind 0-2 before working the count back full.
The payoff delivery froom Eovaldi is a peach of a fastball for a called strike three.
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Double play
Mitch Garver up now and the first pitch is in the dirt, but Moreno keeps it in front of him. Garcia is on first with one out.
Gallen gets a fastball called for strike one and Garver fouls off another. 1-2
A cutter up and Garver chops it to third and Longoria goes to second for one and on to first where he is called safe. Arizona challenges and on review it is overturned. They got both.
The D-backs get out of it but not before the Rangers draw first blood and go up 2-0.
RANGERS SCORE
Adolis Garcia up now and he watches Gallen deliver everything low and around the edges to make the count 3-1
The pitch is a curve ball lined into left field for a single! Carter scores from second!
RANGERS SCORE
Evan Carter the hitter now and he takes a fastball for strike one. The next delivery misses high and the count is 1-1.
Gallen's changeup misses outside and it is ball two. Carter fouls off the fastball and it is 2-2
The fastball is fouled off and we do it again.
Gallen delivers a high fastball and Carter rips it off the bottom of the wall in right center! Seager has wheels and he will score from first on a Corey Seager double!
Corey Seager up now and a fastball high misses for ball one. The second one misses inside for ball two. Gallen is working that top edge and misses again. 3-0
Gallen catches the edge to make it 3-1 and the next pitch is fouled back. Full count.
The payoff is a curve in the dirt for ball four.
Semien takes a fastball outside for ball one. The second one catches the outside edge for a strike. 1-1
Semien fouls off a high cutter and it is 1-2.
The changeup is drifted slowly to short and Perdomo goes to first for one out.
Bottom 1st
The Diamondbacks are on the field behind Zac Gallen. He will go to work against Marcus Semien at the top of this Rangers lineup.
Gabriel Moreno the hitter and he takes a ball outside before the second one catches the paint for strike one.
Another cutter outside and the count is 2-1.
Moreno hacks at that nasty low splitter for strike two. 2-2
Evo tries that outside cutter again but Moreno holds off and the count is full.
The payoff delivery is that splitter that falls off the table and Moreno strikes out swinging.
Ketel Marte up now and he fouls off the first breaking ball that Eovaldi has thrown. A low splitter gets him swinging at strike two. Marte is in a hole 0-2
The next splitter misses outside. 1-2
Marte fouls off the fourth delivery and it is still 1-2. Another low splitter misses and the count is even 2-2.
Evo delivers a curve and Marte pulls it to Lowe at first. The flip to Eovaldi on the bag and it is two away.
Eovaldi likes to pound the zone and Arizona are a team who like to put the ball into play. The second pitch is a swinging strike before Carroll rips the third delivery up the first base line for Nathaniel Lowe. He turns, throws to Eovaldi on the bag for out number one.
Top 1st
Carroll fouls off a fastball for strike one. We are off!
PLAY BALL!
The Rangers are on the field, Nathan Eovaldi is on the mound. The house is packed and the umpires are ready. Corbin Carroll will lead off for the Arizona Diamondbacks, the youngest rookie in 99 years to do so.
Let's PLAY BALL!
2001 first pitch
No matter who you are, how you felt about him as a President, thismoment in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, was the most unifying act any American President could have done.
STARTING LINEUPS
The Home Team
Rangers Batting Order
1. Semien (2B) *R
2. Seager (SS) *L
3. Carter (LF) *L
4. García (RF) *R
5. Garver (DH) *R
6. Heim (C) *S
7. Lowe (1B) *L
8. Jung (3B) *R
9. Taveras (CF) *S
The Visitors
Diamondbacks Batting Order
1. Carroll (RF) *L
2. Marte (2B) *S
3. Moreno (C) *R
4. Walker (1B) *R
5. Pham (DH) *R
6. Gurriel (LF) *R
7. Thomas (CF) *L
8. Longoria (3B) *R
9. Perdomo (SS) *S
STARTING PITCHERS REGULAR SEASON STATS
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Zac Gallen (RHP)
17 - 9
3.47 ERA
220 K
210.0 IP
1.12 WHIP
TEXAS RANGERS
Nathan Eovaldi (RHP)
12 - 5
3.63 ERA
132 K
144.0 IP
1.14 WHIP
PITCHING
Arizona will hand the ball to Zac Gallen, who had a turgid NLCS, losing both of his starts as the Phillies teed off on him for nine runs and 14 hits, including five dingers, in 11 innings. Through the regular season, however, he has been a steady hand for the Arizona rotation, and will be looking to pull his weight this time around.
Texas will hand the ball to Old Faithful, Nathan Eovaldi. Through the All-Star break, the easy runaway Cy Young candidate, Eovladi spent the back end of the season in a mix of IL and rehab outings that were middling at best. But since the playoffs have started, a switch has been flipped and he has been absolutely dominant. He is 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA in the playoffs and has been the deciding factor in their biggest games.
Welcome to the Diario AS USA live commentary of Game 1 of the 2023 World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Here it is! The Fall Classic! As unbelievable as it may sound to many baseball fans, the Texas Rangers are hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1.
A great amount of ink has gone into decrying the lack of a 100-win team in the final, mainly from Dodger fans disgruntled at their almost perpetual inability to translate regular season success into post season triumph. They have been joined this season by Braves and Orioles supporters who are getting their first taste of this bitterest of pills.
Apart from the obvious that winners win, and if you can’t beat a team in the playoffs then you don’t belong in the World Series, there is also another caveat to this story.
For nearly all of the 2023 regular season, the Texas Rangers have been the best team in baseball. Only a late-August dip kept them ten wins adrift of the club.
The real surprise entrant here is the Arizona Diamondbacks. They have managed to step up under pressure in a big way. Sweeping both the Brewers and Dodgers on their way to an exciting seven-game win over the Phillies, Arizona has already had an amazing Cinderella story just by being here.
Both teams will be going all out tonight, starting their rotation aces and looking to jump out to an early lead. The Rangers have yet to take a single game at home and will eventually need to do just that if they expect to win it all. The D-backs, on the other hand, have yet to lose at home.