Rangers vs Diamondbacks summary online: stats, scores and highlights | MLB World Series Game 3 highlights
Rangers 3-1 Diamondbacks
Rangers stay perfect on the road
Game 2 was a humiliating loss by any measure. Not only were the Rangers beaten at home, but they were soundly spanked in a 9-1 rout. They needed to come back from that with something big.
Going into another team's home is always going to be a serious challenge. You have the travel to contend with, the unfamiliarity with the facilities, the hostility of the crowd. It can make it's mark. But so far this post season, it has had the opposite effect on the Rangers.
They bounced back in a big way in Game 3, with a solid 3-1 win that showcased solid hitting behind something that has plagued the Rangers all season: a bullpen performance. Not tonight. Tonight, the Texas bullpen has been outstanding, surrendering just one run on six hits and churning through five pitchers.
It wasn't meant to be this way. Max Scherzer took a freak ball off the elbow and back in the second. He managed one more inning before the pain was too much and he had to be pulled early. Jon Gray came on and shone, giving up just one hit in three innings to bridge the gap to the true relievers.
The Diamondbacks did good work on the mound today as well, with Brandon Pfaadt recovering from an early three run inning to hold the Rangers for no gain over the next four. But the luck that normally accompanies their chaotic baseruning style of play simply never materialized.
With this win, the Texas Rangers become the first team in MLB history to win their first nine postseason road games. There are two more to come in Phoenix before the Series shifts back to Arlington, should it be necessary.
The Rangers had planned to start Jon Gray in Game 4, but it is unlikely that he will be called on after today. The Diamondbacks were said to be leaning toward Joe Mantiply to start on their side, but may want to revise that as well. Either way, it is certain to be another bullpen game for both teams.
GOODBYE!
That is going to do it for our live coverage of the 2023 World Series Game 3 between the Rangers and the Diamondbacks. 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 4 of the Rangers vs Diamondbacks from Phoenix.
Until then, good night and God bless!
RANGERS WIN!
Tommy Pham the hitter and he has been the hottest hitter for the Diamondbacks. The first delivery is in there for a strike. Pham pops the second one back for strike two.
Leclerc puts a slider into the dirt but Pham isn't biting.
A high fastball gets Pham to chase and the game is over. Texas win 3-1!
Christian Walker up now and th first pitch is called a strike. He fouls the low slider off and it is 0-2
Leclerc's fastball misses high. 1-2
A slider outside can't induce Walker to chase. 2-2
He fouls one off and we do the 2-2 again.
Walker chases a slider for strike three. Two gone.
Bottom 9th
Gabriel Moreno leads off for the Diamonbacks and the first delivery misses outside for ball one.
Leclerc tries again with a slider that is... called a ball? Wow!
Another misses outside and it is 3-0
Leclerc throws a fastball down the middle for strike one.
A cutter outside is called a strike. I guess it evens out, but the calls are terrible today. 3-2
The payoff delivery is chopped to third for Jung. The throw to first gets out number one.
Pitching change
Jose Leclerc takes over for the Rangers and tries to close the deal on Game 3.
Nathaniel Lowe will face the new pitcher and he takes a fastball high for ball one before fouling off two more. The 1-2 is chopped to the mound and ricochets off Saalfrank before rolling to second. Marte goes to first to end the inning.
Pitching change
That is going to be it for Frías as Andrew Saalfrank will be called upon to finish this out.
Jonah Heim up now and he takes a fastball for strike one. Frías tries it again and Heim swings through it. 0-2
The next one misses outside and then Frías puts one in the dirt and Heim can't hold off on it for strike three.
Mitch Garver the hitter now and he lifts a huge hit to center field. Thomas back and he makes a leaping grab at the wall! That was huge!
Top 9th
Evan Carter will lead off for the Rangers as Emmanuel Rivera takes over for the D-backs at third base.
Frías misses with four straight balls and Carter has a leadoff walk.
Double play
Ketel Marte up now and he goes after the first delivery, grounding it to short. Seager flips it to second for one and on to first to complete the double play! 6-4-3
But not before the Diamondbacks get on the board and claw one back. At the end of eight it is Texas 3, Arizona 1
Corbin Carroll the hitter and he takes a fastball outside for ball one. Another 100mph fastball is fouled back. 1-1
Carroll watches a fastball for a strike and falls behind in the count 1-2.
Chapman misses high with another 101mph fastball. 2-2
Carroll fouls another back and it still 2-2.
Chapman's slider jelly legs Carroll for a called strike three! That was a meatball but he just couldn't pull the trigger!
DIAMONDBACKS SCORE
Geraldo Perdomo up now and he fouls off the first pitch. 0-1
Chapmans fastball misses high. One ball, one strike.
The slider misses just low and the count is 2-1.
Perdomo rips the delivery into left field for a single! Rivera scores from second and the D-backs are on the board!
Bottom 8th
Rivera takes a fastball low for ball one. Chapman paints the outside edge for strike two before missing up and out with another fastball.
The 2-1 delivery is fouled back and the count evens at 2-2.
Rivera rips a fastball down the right field line for a leadoff double!
Pinch hitter
Pavin Smith will hit for Evan Longoria.
Upon seeing the Rangers change for Chapman, Smith will himself be replaced by Emmanuel Rivera at the bat.
Pitching change
The Rangers will bring on Aroldis Chapman to take over on the mound.
Adolis Garcia the hitter and he jumps on the second delivery lifting it high to center field for Alek Thomas. He put it away and ends the inning.
Corey Seager up now and he gets behind 1-2 before chasing a nasty cutter in the dirt for strike three.
Top 8th
Marcus Semien leads off for the Rangers and he grounds one up the middle. Marte gets to it and goes to first for out number one.
Pitching change
Continuing to work an excellent bullpen game, Arizona asks Luis Frias to take over on the mound from Kyle Nelson.
Alek Thomas the hitter and he watches the curveball for strike one. A fastball misses high and in before another jams him for a foul ball. 1-2
Another curve from Sborz misses high and the count evens 2-2
Thomas fouls off the high fastball and we do it again.
Sborz is in some pain, grimacing on the mound and they come out to have a look at hiim.
When it gets underway again, he throws a curveball for a foul and we will do it yet again.
The eighth delivery of the at bat misses inside and the count runs full.
Sborz's payoff delivery is a peach of a curve that gets Thomas swinging for strike three! What a battle!
Lourdes Gurriel Jr up now and he gets a called strike and fouls one off before not being able to hold off the curve ball in the dirt for strike three. Two down.
Double
Tommy Pham up now and he jumps on the second delivery for a long shot into the gap in right center! He is in with a standup double and Tommy Pham is on fire! 6 for 7 in the last two games!
Bottom 7th
Christian Walker leads off and he rips a grounder to second for Marcus Semien. The throw to first and we have one out.
Pitching change
Jon Gray had a great outing in relief, but Bruce Bochy will go to his bullpen and ask Josh Sborz to take over.
Leody Taveras the hitter and he runs the count to 2-2 before chopping a hard grounder to third for Evan Longoria. The long throw is in time and the inning is over.
Josh Jung up now and he takes two fastballs low. 2-0
The cutter is chopped to short and Perdomo goes to first for the second out.
Top 7th
Nathaniel Lowe leads off for Texas and he runs the count to 2-1 before lifting a fly ball deep to left field. Gurriel goes back, onto the track and comes down with it for out number one.
Pitching change
The Diamondbacks will go back to the bullpen, asking Kyle Nelson to take over for Miguel Castro.
Gabriel Moreno the hitter and he goes after the first pitch, lifting it into right field but right at Adolis Garcia to end the inning.
Ketel Marte up now and he rips a line drive to second, right at Marcus Semien and it squirts out of his glove! Marte has a single.
Corbin Carroll the hitter now and he fouls off the first two fastball to dig himself into a hole 0-2
Gray goes back there with another high fastball and Carroll swings through it for strike three. Two gone.
Bottom 6th
Geraldo Perdomo leads off for Arizona in the sixth and he takes a fastball outside for ball one. Gray goes back to that outside edge and paints it with a fastball for strike one. Right back out there with a slider for called strike two.
Gray tries that slider inside now and it misses to even the count. 2-2
A high fastball gets Perdomo to chase and he goes down swinging. That is seven up, seven down for Jon Gray.
Jonah Heim up now and he chops the first one to third. Evan Longoria gets to it, has to hurry, and the throw to first beats Heim by half a step!
Mitch Garver takes a slider for strike one before laying off the outside stuff and watching a sinker for strike to level the count at 2-2.
Garver fouls off the change up and we do it again.
Chasing a slider outside, Garver lifts it harmlessly to center field where Alek Thomas puts it away for out number two.
Evan Carter will face the new pitcher and he takes two balls outside. A third is called a strike forcing Carter to go after the next one to the opposite field for a single. Adolis Garcia advances to second.
All four of those deliveries were balls, by the way. Alfonso Marquez is having a terrible game calling balls and strikes behind the plate!
Pitching change
It looks like that is going to do it for Pfaadt as Torey Lovullo strides out to the mound and takes the ball from him. He gets a good round of applause from the Arizona crowd.
Miguel Castro will be called upon to take over on the mound.
Adolis Garcia the hitter and he chases a slider for strike one. A high fastball gets him swinging and he is in a hole 0-2.
Garcia lays off the slider outside for ball one.
The changeup outside can't tempt him either. 2-2
Garcia fouls off the fastball and we do it again.
Pfaadt tries that slider again and again, Garcia doens' bit. Full count.
The payoff delivery misses outside and Garcia draws the walk.
Top 6th
Corey Seager leads off for the Rangers and he takes a sinker for ball one. Another one misses outside for ball two.
Seager jumps on a change up and lifts it to center field for Alek Thomas. One away.
Evan Longoria up now and he can't catch up to the fastball for strike one. The slider is fouled off and it is 0-2
Gray can't get Longoria to chase the slider outside and it is 1-2.
He does chase the next one and lifts it into foul territory on the right side for Nathaniel Lowe to end the inning.
After five, it is Rangers 3, D-backs 0
Alek Thomas up now and he taps the first one on the right side. Jon Gray cuts it off and goes to the bag himself for out number two.
Bottom 5th
Lourdes Gurriel Jr leads off and he fouls off the first three pitches before ripping a grounder to third. Jung makes the long throw to first for the out.
Marcus Semien the hitter and he chops one to third. Longoria knocks it down, stays with it and goes to first to end the inning.
Leody Taveras up now and he fouls the first pitch off. Strike one.
The sinker misses outside and it is 1-1
Taveras lines a shot to Longoria at third! The throw to first is not in time to double off Lowe.
Josh Jung the hitter and he gets a terrible called strike, inducing him to chase the next pitch in the same unhittable spot. 0-2
Jung fouls off the sinker inside and we do it again.
Another sweeper in the same spot as the first two is called - rightly - a ball. 1-2
A fastball inside hits the knob of the bat! Foul ball.
Jung chases the same sweeper in the same spot for strike three. One down.
Top 5th
Nathaniel Lowe leads off for the Rangers and he watches a sinker low for ball one. A high fastball gets him swinging and the count is 1-1
Another fastball misses in before he fouls off a sinker to even the count 2-2
Lowe fouls off another and we do it again. Pfaadt goes back to the fastball, missing inside to run the count full.
The payoff delivery is another close one that is called a ball. A leadoff walk.
Tommy Pham is up now and he is on a hot streak. 5 for 5 over the last two games and 1 for 1 tonight. He bangs a long fly ball to center field and Taveras gets under it to end the inning. The Rangers are finally able to get Tommy Pham out!
Christian Walker up now and he watches a slider for strike one before chopping one to third base. Josh Jung goes to first and it is two down.
Bottom 4th
Gabriel Moreno leads off for the D-backs and Gray's first pitch is a slider in there for a strike. He can't get Moreno to chase another so he goes after him with a fastball for a swinging strike. 1-2
Gray goes back to the slider low and Moreno lays off. 2-2
Moreno fouls off a high fastball and we do it again. A slider gets the same treatment and again, we repeat the 2-2.
Gray goes with the slider and this time Moreno does chase it for strike three.
Pitching change
The Rangers are going to go to Jon Gray to take over from Max Scherzer. That ball that hit Scherzer in the second didn't hit his back as I thought, but actually came off his elbow.
Jonah Heim up now and he lifts a fstball to left field but right at Gurriel to end the inning.
In the middle of four, it is Texas 3, Arizona 0
Mitch Garver the hitter and after the first pitch misses, he goes after three fastball, striking out swinging. Two gone.
Top 4th
Evan Carter leads off for Texas and he rips a grounder to second for Marte. The throw to first gets him for out number one.
Marte lifts the next delivery to left field but right at Evan Carter who takes it to end the inning.
Wild Pitch
Ketel Marte up now and he takes a strike before a ball gets past Jonah Heim and to the backstop. Carroll advances to second on the wild pitch.
Corbin Carroll up now and he takes cutter for a ball. That didn't miss by much!
The next fastball is in the same spot and is ball two. Scherzer goes to the bottom edge for ball three and another in the same spot gets called a strike.
Another cutter misses for ball four and Carroll draws another walk on five pitches, and again none of them missed by more than an inch or so.
Geraldo Perdomo the hitter and he takes a curve for strike one.
The fastball misses up and outside. 1-1
Perdomo fouls off the next one and is behind 1-2
Another fastball is lifted to right but it is an easy one for Garcia. Two down.
Bottom 3rd
Evan Longoria leads off and takes a curve for a strike. Scherzer comes back with a fastball and another called strike. Longoria is in a hole 0-2
Scherzer misses with a low cutter before Longoria chases a changeup for strike three.
Adolis Garcia the hitter and he swings through the first two fastballs outside before fouling the third off. 0-2
Pfaadt comes back at him with a fastball inside and Garcia fouls it off. We do it again.
Garcia holds off the low slurve and it is ball one.
Pfaadt goes back to the high fastball and Garcia foul tips it into the catchers mitt for strike three.
But the Rangers jump out to a three run lead in the third!
COREY SEAGER HOME RUN!
Corey Seager jumps on the first pitch and it is a no doubter! That is a rocket over the right field wall! Anything flies that far ought to have a stewardess!
The Rangers jump out to a big lead!
RANGERS SCORE
The top of the order now and Marcus Semien pulls the first pitch foul. 0-1
Pfaadt tries to tempt him with a sinker inside and a slurve outside. Nothing doing on either.
The 2-1 is lifted into left center field and it finds the gap! Lowe scores from third on the two out single!
Leody Taveras up now and he whiffs the first delivery for strike one. A high fastball is fouled off and he is in a hole.
Pfaadt delivers the 0-2 and it misses inside. 1-2
Taveras holds off a low change up and the count evens. 2-2
The sinker is chopped to second. Marte goes to first and it is two away. Lowe advances to third on the play.
Josh Jung the hitter now and he falls behind 1-2 quickly. The sinker from Pfaadt gets him swinging for strike three and we have one away.
Top 3rd
Nathaniel Lowe leads off for the Rangers and he fouls off a fastball and has a sinker called a strike. The 0-2 is fouled off and Pfaadt will do it again. He juuuussstttt misses low for ball one. He goes back to that spot and Lowe fouls it off.
The next 1-2 is fouled off and then a changeup misses low. 2-2
Pfaadt misses outside, and not by much, only an inch or two, to run the fount full.
Lowe smacks the payoff pitch into the gap in right center. Alek Thomas slides for it but it is enough for Lowe to be in with a leadoff double.
Alek Thomas the hitter and he ricochets one off Scherzer's back! It bounces to third and Josh Jung barehands it, going to first and getting the out by a fraction of a step! The Rangers, almost unbelievably, get out of it with no damage!
After two, it is still scoreless.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr up now and he lifts a high pop fly to second for Marcus Semien. Two gone.
Tommy Pham up now and he is the mirror opposite, having gone 4 for 4 in Game 2.
The second delivery is drilled to right field for a single. Walker rounds third and goes through the stop sign, testing the arm of Garcia. That is the wrong arm to test! Garcia's throw to the plate is in plenty of time and Walker is out at the plate.
On the throw, Pham advances to second.
Bottom 2nd
Christian Walker leads off for the D-backs and he has struggled recently and the crowd are giving him a standing ovation as he comes out. It seems to have worked!
He rips the first delivery a long way, into the gap in right center, off the base of the wall for a leadoff double!
Jonah Heim up now and he chases the first pitch for strike one. Heim swings through a high fastball for strike two.
Pfaadt goes back to the same spot and Heim lifts it into center field but right at Alek Thomas to end the inning.
Double Play
Mitch Garver the hitter and the first pitch is low for ball one. Garver fouls off the second delivery and the count is even at 1-1.
Garver cracks his bat and dribbles one back to the mound. Pfaadt goes to second for one and on to first to complete the 1-4-3 double play. Two gone
Carter watches a curveball for strike one. The next delivery from Pfaadt is ripped through the gap into right field for a leadoff single.
Top 2nd
Another sterling rookie, Evan Carter will lead off for Texas. He came out of nowhere, being drafted as an unknown out of high school and getting called up in August. Since then, he has blazed his way through the bigs.
Double Play
Gabriel Moreno chops the second delivery to third. Jung goes to second for one and on to first to turn the 5-4-3 double play.
Ketel Marte up now and the fastball from Scherzer misses just outside. Going at that same spot with a change up, it is 2-0.
Another fastball, working that outside edge, just misses and it is 3-0.
Another one is in for a called strike and the following changeup misses inside. Marte draws the walk on five pitches. None of those missed by more than an inch or two.
Carroll takes a curve inside for ball one. A fastball runs the inside rail for a called strike and the count is even.
A cutter misses way inside for ball two and Carroll gets jammed with a fastball, can't check his swing. 2-2
Carroll chops one to short and Seager goes to first for out number one.
Bottom 1st
The Rangers take the field for the first time tonight and Mad Max Scherzer is on the mound. He has been pasted back together and we will see how that affects his delivery and control.
Corbin Carroll will lead off for the D-backs.
Now Adolis Garcia and he is the real Danger Man for Texas. Pfaadt will try and get him to chase. The first delivery is high for a called strike and two more balls come in. Garcia goes after a low change up and hits it a mile high, but not quite far enough. Alek Thomas hauls it in on the warning track in center to end the inning.
Corey Seager now up to the plate and he chops the first delivery to first base. Christian Walker fields it and flips to Pfaadt covering the bag. Two gone.
Pfaadt misses down and away with pitches two three and four. The 3-1 is lifted to shallow right for Corbin Carroll. One away.
Top 1st
Semien fouls the first pitch back and we are off!
PLAY BALL!
The Diamondbacks are on the field, rookie Brandon Pfaadt is on the mound. The house is packed with over 48,000 in attendance. The umpires are ready. Marcus Semien will lead off for the Rangers.
Let's PLAY BALL!
STARTING LINEUPS
The Home Team
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
The Visitors
Rangers Batting Order
1. Semien (2B) *R
2. Seager (SS) *L
3. García (RF) *R
4. Carter (LF) *L
5. Garver (DH) *R
6. Heim (C) *S
7. Lowe (1B) *L
8. Jung (3B) *R
9. Taveras (CF) *S
STARTING PITCHERS REGULAR SEASON STATS
TEXAS RANGERS
Max Scherzer (RHP)
13 - 6
3.77 ERA
174 K
152.2 IP
1.12 WHIP
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Brandon Pfaadt (RHP)
3 - 9
5.72 ERA
94 K
96.0 IP
1.41 WHIP
PITCHING
The Rangers will go with Max Scherzer despite questions raised in the ALCS over his durability. He has reportedly sustained a cut on his pitching thumb and a strained muscle in his right shoulder. He has taken a pounding in the post season so far, but he has tons of experience in big games and if anyone can bounce back it is Mad Max. He is a shoo-in Hall of Famer and has a ton of playoff experience, including a World Series win from his time with the Nationals.
Arizona will hand the ball to rookie right hander Brandon Pfaadt, who has been absolutely sizzling in the post season. He dominated both the Dodgers and the Phillies, going 5.2 scoreless innings in Game 3 of the NLCS before giving up two runs in four innings of Game 7. One of the highlights of the Arizona farm system, Pfaadt will be leaning on that outstanding fastball to do the heavy lifting, and he likes to get out in front with first pitch strikes.
WELCOME!!!
Welcome to the Diario AS USA live commentary of Game 3 of the 2023 World Series series between the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks from Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
Immovable object versus unstoppable force. That may be the lay of the land as the World Series moves to Phoenix. Tied at a game apiece, the Rangers are a team that shine on the road and the Diamondbacks are a team that are difficult to beat at home.
With the offensive potency that Texas can bring to the table, they can strike almost at will. The danger, of course is that their bats go cold, as they did in Game 2.
Arizona, on the other hand, play a beautiful small-ball game, pushing runners around the bases and grinding out wins.
Another theme of Game 3 could be the new versus old, youth versus experience story that sees a sizzling rookie do battle with a Hall of Fame-bound veteran. The rookie Brandon Pfaadt can seemingly do no wrong, his arm shining and new, his talent visible to all who have eyes. And the veteran Max Scherzer, battle hardened and scarred, held together by glue and willpower, as he uses that tired old arm one more time to lift his team on his shoulders.