Rangers vs Orioles summary online: stats, scores and highlights | MLB ALDS Game 2 highlights
Rangers bats open up on Orioles
Texas Rangers bats come to life as Orioles fall two games behind
The Rangers are a team of two halves. No that isn't correct. They have shown far more than just two sides to fans. They are more like a cracked mirror. Every time you shift your gaze, you see something new.
The beginning of the season saw the Rangers look unstoppable. They led the AL West for 159 days and were far and away the most potent offense in baseball. And then they cracked, fell apart and came back together but as a brittle version of their former selves.
"So it is," went conventional baseball thinking, "they had a good run, but now they are a spent force."
And then the view shifted to the post season and suddenly everything that was wrong in the final weeks of the season were put right. Every place where they were making mistakes was corrected. And suddenly, the Rangers are almost whole again.
Where their one-run win in Game 1 could be put down to a fluke, or possibly having gotten lucky, Game 2 left no doubt about the ability of the Texas Rangers to play smashmouth baseball with absolutely anybody.
The O's took a two run lead in the first and it lasted all of ten minutes before the Rangers answered back in the second with five runs. Just like that.
Two innings later, Mitch Garver jacked a two-out grand slam to stretch the lead to nine, and that was it, the Rangers were off to the races.
To be fair to the Orioles, they didn't simply lie down. They chipped away at that lead, one run at a time, until a three run blast by Aaron Hicks in the ninth cut it to just three. They showed heart and that they have the ability to throw heavy punches with the hardest hitters out there.
The series now moves to Arlington and the Rangers are just one win away from stopping the Orioles in their tracks and advancing to the ALCS for the first time in 12 years.
Baltimore on the other hand is in dire straits. They have an uphill battle and need to sweep the Rangers on the road in order to pull themselves back into the fight. It is a tough ask for anyone.
Goodbye!
That is going to do it for our live coverage of ALDS Game 2 between the Rangers vs Orioles. We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did!
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We will return tomorrow with the Diamondbacks vs Dodgers in the NLDS.
Until then, good night and God bless!
The Rangers have taken the opening two games on the road in Baltimore but wow, what a comeback the O's were mounting.
Rangers win!
Cedric Mullins now up and goes down swinging to end the game!
O'Hearn takes three balls before lifting one deep to left. Evan Carter tracks it and makes an over the shoulder catch for the out.
Pinch Hitter
Ryan O'Hearn will come out now and hit for Jordan Westburg.
AARON HICKS HOME RUN!!!
One pitch, one hit, and Aaron Hicks smashes a three run home run! The Orioles have pulled to within three! 11-8 now! They are not dead yet!
Aaron Hicks will face the new pitcher with men on first and second and only one out.
Pitching change
Bruce Bochy won't wait and he'll make the change now. Jose Leclerc will replace Brock Burke after only a third of an inning.
Austin Hays up now with a man on first and one out. Bruce Bochy is on the phone to the bullpen and we may see movement down there.
Hays rips a single to right field! Henderson moves to second on the play.
Leclerc is getting loose in the Texas bullpen.
Gunnar Henderson up now and the count runs full before the payoff pitch from Burke misses low for the free pass.
Bottom 9th
Anthony Santander leads off for the O's and he jumps on the first pitch, whipping a lines drive to center but Leody Taveras makes a great athletic catch for the first out.
Pitching change
The Rangers will bring on Brock Burke to try and slam the door shut here in the ninth.
Mitch Garver lifts the first pitch out to center for Cedric Mullins to end the inning.
But the Rangers add one more to make it 11-5
Corey Seager at the plate now and he draws the walk, becoming the first player in post season history to draw five walks in a game!
Rangers score
Marcus Semien jumps on the first pitch, grounding one to short for Jorge Mateo who is playing in. He bobbles it and goes to first for the out. Josh Jung scores on the play.
Leody Taveras up now and works the count full before Cano's payoff is dribbled up the middle. Mateo gets to it and goes to first for the first out. Jung moves to third on the play.
Top 9th
Josh Jung leads off for Texas and he rips a double down the right field line!
Pitching change
The Orioles bring on Yennier Cano to try and close the Rangers out in the ninth.
Ryan Mountcastle will face the new pitcher with men on second and third with two outs. First pitch is grounded to short and Corey Seager makes the throw to first to end the inning.
Pitching change
That is going to be it for Bradford, but he has done excellent work tonight in relief. Josh Sborz will get the call to take over on the mound.
Adley Rutschman the hitter now and he wallops a blast to right field. Adolis Garcia can't get to it and that is a great two out single. Mateo advances to third on the play.
Jorge Mateo now and he rips a single into center field and Mateo is now 4 for 4 tonight!
Cedric Mullins now and he jumps on the first pitch, lifting it out to center field for Leody Taveras. Two gone.
Westburg fights off several foul balls before the count runs to 2-2. The delivery from Bradford is a fastball right down the middle and it just jelly legs Westburg for a called strike three.
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Bottom 8th
Jordan Westburg leads off for the O's in the eighth and Cody Bradford is still in there hurling for Texas. Four innings of relief is old school, not what you see much of these days, but Bruce Bochy is an old school catcher and he likes what he sees.
Nathaniel Lowe the hitter three straight heaters catch him looking to end the inning.
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Jonah Heim the hitter now and he will hit from the right side against the lefty Perez. Heim chops a bouncer to short for Mateo. The throw to first gets the out as Garcia advances to second.
Evan Carter now up and works the count full before the payoff delivery from Perez catches the bottom of the zone for a called strike three. One down.
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Bottom 8th
Adolis Garcia leads off and smacks the first pitch right back to the mound, coming off Perez's glove before rolling dead in front of short. No play, leadoff infield hit.
Pitching change
Tyler Wells will be done as the O's call on Cionel Perez to take over on the mound.
Aaron Hicks now and he lifts a long fly ball down the right field line but there is enough space for Adolis Garcia to get to it for the third out.
Austin Hays to hit now and Cody Bradford stays on the attack, catching Hays swinging at a high heater for strike three. Back to back K's.
Bottom 7th
Gunnar Henderson leads off in the seventh for Baltimore and attacks the strike zone with fastballs, before fooling him on a nasty curveball for strike three.
Mitch Garver the batter now. Wells delivers a fastball and Garver lifts it out to right field for Hicks to end the inning.
Corey Seager the hitter now and he gets a full count before the payoff delivery from Wells is lifted out to left field for Austin Hays. Two down.
Top 7th
Marcus Semien will lead off for the Rangers and he dribbles a little tapper to the mound. Wells fields it and makes a shaky throw to first but gets the out.
Pitching change
The O's call on Tyler Wells to take over on the mound from Jack Flaherty.
Anthony Santander the hitter and the count runs to 2-2 before a changeup is popped up to third. Josh Jung gets under it to end the inning.
Ryan Mountcastle up now and Bradford comes straight after him with three fastballs to strike him out swinging.
Adley Rutschman at the plate now and he hits a sharp grounder to first. Lowe fields it and steps on the bag for one away, but Mateo advances to third on the play.
Bottom 6th
Jorge Mateo leads off for Baltimore and the count runs full before Bradford's payoff is ripped to right field, over Adolis Garcia's head and off the wall! Mateo has a leadoff double!
Leody Taveras the hitter and he lifts a lazy fly ball to center field to end the inning.
Josh Jung up now with a runner on second and two outs. He works the count to full before the payoff misses. Walk for Jung
Nathaniel Lowe stands in now and he runs the count full before the payoff delivery is slapped to short. There is no play at second since Carter was running on the pitch, so Gunnar Henderson makes the throw to first for the second out.
Jonah Heim the hitter now and he works the count to 2-2 before whiffing through a high fastball for strike three.
Top 6th
Evan Carter will lead things off for Texas in the sixth and he loops one out to center for a leadoff single.
Cedric Mullins up now and he dribbles a slow roller to second for Marcus Semien. The throw to first ends the inning. But the Orioles have chipped a run away and they are not out of this fight yet! After five, it is 10-5 Rangers.
Jordan Westburg the hitter with a runner on first and one out now. He lifts one to deep right field for Adolis Garcia. Two out.
Hicks grounds one to third for Jung. He goes to second for one, but Semien can't get it out of his glove for the second.
Aaron Hicks will come up now to face the new pitcher with a man on first and nobody out.
Pitching change
Bruce Bochy makes the walk out to the mound and that is going to do it from Montgomery. He signals for Cody Bradford to take over.
Austin Hays now up and he pokes a ground ball through the right side for a single.
Bottom 5th
Gunnar Henderson will lead off for the Orioles and he works the count full. The payoff from Montgomery is blasted waaaayyyy over the right field wall! That is gone from the instant it left the bat! HOME RUN GUNNAR HENDERSON!
Adolis Garcia up now and he squibs one to short stop for the routine out to end the inning. The Rangers pull one back and they have scored now in three of the last four innings. They lead here 10-4
Rangers score
Garver rips it to third. Mountcastle steps on the bag and goes to first for the double play. Taveras scores from third on the play.
Rutschman trots out to the mound to try and calm his pitcher before Mitch Garver comes to the plate. He has bases loaded and nobody out.
Again.
Corey Seager the hitter now and he sees one ball before four straight balls. The crowd erupts into boos. They are not at all happy with the Orioles pitchers today!
Marcus Semien jumps on the first pitch and slaps a ground ball up the middle for a single to center field. Taveras goes to second.
Top 5th
Leody Taveras will get things going for Texas here in the fifth. He draws the four pitch walk to open the inning.
Pitching change
The Orioles will call on Jack Flaherty to replaces Jacob Webb on the mound.
Anthony Santander now and he lifts the first pitch to second and Marcus Semien drifts under it to end the inning. But the Orioles chip away at that lead, pulling two back. That is exactly what they need to do! At the end of four, it is Texas 9, Baltiomre 4.
Ryan Mouncastle the hitter now with one out and runners on the corners. He pokes the first delivery to right. Mateo tags! The throw to the plate from Garcia is off line and another run scores!
The Rangers have a meeting on the mound and there is a little movement in the Texas bullpen now.
Rutschman chops one to short and Seager loses it in his glove! The throw to first is not in time! Mateo advances to third on the play.
Stolen base
Adley Rutschman up now and the first delivery is in the dirt. Mateo takes off for second and he will get the stolen base.
Orioles score
Jorge Mateo the hitter now with a runner on third and one out. He slots a single into right center field, scoring the runner from third. The Orioles pull one back!
Cedric Mullins lifts the first delivery out to deep center. Taveras gets under it just in front of the track, deep enough for Westburg to tag up and advance to third. One down.
Bottom 4th
Jordan Westburg leads things off for the O's in the fourth and ropes a shot over Evan Carter's head in left for a leadoff double!
Josh Jung the hitter and he goes down swinging on a sick curve ball for strike three.
Nathaniel Lowe up now and he drifts one up harmlessly to center field for Cedric Mullins. Two down.
Top 4th
Jonah Heim will lead things off for Texas and lifts one out to left field for Austin Hays. One out.
Aaron Hicks jumps on the first pitch, breaking his bat and poping a little flare to second. Marcus Semien pulls it down and ends the inning.
Double
Austin Hays up now and he rips a long shot to left field. Carter is on his horse and ALMOST gets it, the ball bouncing off the side of the glove!
A two out double for Hays!
Gunnar Henderson the hitter and he watches a called strike three that catches the bottom of the zone.
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Bottom 3rd
Anthony Santander will lead off for the O's here in the third. There is a lot of baseball left to play and they need to start scoring runs.
He lifts one straight up in the air, behind the plate and Jonah Heim gets under it for the first out.
Evan Carter up now and he runs the count full. The payoff delivery from Webb is blasted to short but right at Mateo for the third out.
It is all Texas right now, as they stretch that lead to 9-2 on a Mitch Garver grand slam.
Adolis Garcia up now and he lifts a pop fly to second for Jordan Westburg. Two away.
Mitch Garver grand slam!
Garver crushes the 3-1 delivery for a grand slam to left! That got out of here in a hurry!
Three straight balls and Webb is in trouble. There is nowhere to put Garver here.
Webb delivers a first pitch strike and the crowd applaud more from relief than anything else.
Mitch Garver the hitter now with the bases loaded and one out and he is a dangerous hitter, going .270 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs in the regular season.
Pitching change
That is going to be it for Bryan Baker and the call goes in for the fourth Orioles pitcher in three innings as Jacob Webb comes out to dig his way out of this hole.
Two more balls and Baker has walked the bases full.
The Orioles have a huddle on the mound to try and calm their pitcher down before Corey Seager steps up and gets two balls before swinging through a slider to make it 2-1.
Semien sees the same formula. One called strike followed by four straight balls and Baker has walked two in a row.
The top of the order now and Marcus Semien with one man on and one out.
Leody Taveras the hitter now and he gets four straight balls after fouling the first pitch off.
Top 3rd
Josh Jung leads off for the Rangers and he lifts one to straightaway center for Cedric Mullins. One away.
Pitching change
The Orioles will dip into their bullpen again and ask Bryan Baker to take over from Danny Coulombe on the mound.
The 3-2 delivery to Mountcastle is rolled softly to short for Corey Seager who makes the throw to end the inning.
Mountcastle takes the 1-2 pitch and it is in the dirt and dribbles away from Heim. Mateo has a look but stays at third. Good call, Heim quickly recovered it.
Ryan Mountcastle the hitter now and Mateo is on third with two away.
Rutschman rips a rocket to third. Jung fields it and briefly considers trying to tag Mateo, before thinking better of it and making the throw to first.
The top of the order and Adley Rutschman now with a runner on second and one out.
Double
Jorge Mateo up now and he rips one over Taveras' head in center field for a double!
Bottom 2nd
The bottom end of the Orioles order and Cedric Mullins will lead off here in the second.
Mullins fouls four back before swinging through a beautiful changeup for strike three. One down.
Nathaniel Lowe up now with men on the corners and two out. Carter is at third, Heim at first. Coulombe delivers a 2-2 pitch that blows past the swinging Lowe to end the inning.
Texas answered back in a big way, scoring five runs!
Pitching change
That is going to be it for Grayson Rodriguez. The Rangers have been relentless and the Orioles will go to Danny Coulombe to try and get out of this.
Rangers score
Jonah Heim the hitter and he swats one through the left side for a single! Garver scores from third! Carter goes to third on the play and the Rangers are up 5-2 in the second.
Evan Carter up now and he chops a slow roller to short stop and Jorge Mateo goes to second for one and that is all they will get. Two down but Garver advances to third on the fielders choice.
Rangers score
Adolis Garcia now and he chops one up the middle to center field. Seager scores from second! Garver moves to second on the play and the Rangers are up 4-2!
Rangers score
Back to back change ups see Garver in a deep hole here 0-2. He dribbles the next pitch to the right side, a swinging bunt. Rodriguez's throw is too slow! Everybody is safe! Taveras scores! Seager moves to second.
Mitch Garver up to the plate now with runners at the corners and only one out. Garver has been a dangerous hitter for the Rangers, struck out his first time up.
Corey Seager now the hitter with a runner on third and one out. The count runs to 3-2 before Rodriguez's delivery misses high for ball four.
Marcus Semien chops the first pitch back to the mound. The bounce was high, he is going to have to hurry and the throw is just in time. The Rangers challenge the call and it is close. After review the call stands. One down.
Taveras advanced to third on the play.
Rangers score
Taveras rocks one deep to left center field, in the gap, nobody can get to it! Lowe scores, the long throw to the plate as Jung rounds third is not in time! The Rangers answer back and the game is tied! Taveras is in with a double!
Leody Taveras the hitter and he falls behind in the count quickly 1-2.
Josh Jung now up and he smacks a base hit to right center field. Lowe advances to third and the Rangers have men on the corners with nobody out.
Top 2nd
Nathaniel Lowe will lead things off for the Rangers. The count runs full and Rodriguez misses the payoff to walk the leadoff batter.
Jordan Westburg the hitter now with runners at the corners. He grounds it softly to third and Jung goes to second to get the force out and end the inning. But the Orioles have jumped out on top early, leading at the end of one by 2-0.
Orioles score
Hicks pokes it through to to right field. One run scores, the throw to the plate as Gunnar Henderson slides and is safe. Two runs score!
Hicks takes ball one. The second one is fouled back to make it 1-1
Aaron Hicks comes to the plate and the Rangers will take a minute to have a pow wow on the mound. The umpire walks out to break it up.
The payoff delivery from Montgomery misses and Austin Hays draws the walk to load the bases.
Austin Hays the hitter with two on and two out and he runs the count full.
Gunnar Henderson will stand in now and he rips it through to center field for a two out single. Mountcastle goes to second on the play.
Anthony Santander up now with one on and one out. He lifts a bloopy little pop up to short stop, where Corey Seager hauls it in for otu number two.
Ryan Mountcastle now and he falls behind before fighting off a few and bringing the count to full. The payoff delivery is chopped very high to Nathaniel Lowe. Montgomery is covering the bag but it is just a footrace to the bag and Mountcastle beats it out! Infield hit!
Rutschman pops the 3-1 delivery up to the right side of the infield. Nathaniel Lowe gets under it for out number one.
Bottom 2nd
Jordan Montgomery will be working on the mound for the Rnagers and he will face Adley Rutschman to lead things off.
Jonah Heim up now with the bases loaded and two outs here in the first. Two pitches, two strikes. The third delivery is slapped to left field but Austin Hays is right there to end the inning. The Orioles get out of trouble as the Rangers strand three.
The payoff delivery from Rodriguez misses inside for a two out walk. The Rangers got lucky on that one, that looked good.
Carter falls behind 1-2 before that discipline comes into play and the count goes full.
Evan Carter now and he generally has a marvelous plate discipline, not expanding the strike zone very much.
Adolis Garcia the hitter now with two men on and one out. He gets in a hole 0-2 quickly.
The delivery is a 100mph high fastball and Garcia goes after it, swinging through strike three. Two down.
Garver falls behind 1-2 and gets fooled on an incredible changeup for strike three. Garver goes down swinging. One away.
The first two men on for Texas and now it will be the DH Mitch Garver at the plate.
Corey Seager now the hitter and he jumps out in front with that blazing fastball and then misses with a few to get a full count. The delivery misses low and Seager gets a walk.
Semien loops a leadoff single into left field.
First Pitch
Grayson Rodriguez is on the mound and ready to go. Marcus Semien will lead off for the Rangers and the first delivery misses outside, a 100mph fastball to get us going.
LINEUPS
The Home Team
Orioles Batting Order
1. Rutschman (C) *S
2. Mountcastle (1B) *R
3. Santander (DH)*S
4. Henderson (3B) *L
5. Hays (LF) *R
6. Hicks (RF) *S
7. Westburg (2B) *R
8. Mullins (CF) *L
9. Mateo (SS) *R
The Visitors
Rangers Batting Order
1. Semien (2B) *R
2. Seager (SS) *L
3. Garver (DH) *R
4. García (RF) *R
5. Carter (LF) *L
6. Heim (C) *S
7. Lowe (1B) *L
8. Jung (3B) *R
9. Taveras (CF) *S
STARTING PITCHERS REGULAR SEASON STATS
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Grayson Rodriguez (RHP)
7 - 4
4.35 ERA
129 K
122.0 IP
1.34 WHIP
TEXAS RANGERS
Jordan Montgomery (LHP)
10 - 11
3.20 ERA
166 K
188.2 IP
1.19 WHIP
PITCHING
Texas will go to the hill with Jordan Montgomery who shut the Rays down completely in his last outing. Picked up at the trade deadline, Montgomery has been rock-solid over the last two months, giving Texas stability and power from the left side.
The Orioles will tap their own Texan in Grayson Rodriguez. After a rocky start to the season, he was sent down to the minors and came back in August a completely different pitcher. His 4.35 ERA belies how good he has been lately, surrendering only three home runs in 304 batters faced, less than a one percent success rate against him.
WELCOME!!!
Welcome to the Diario AS USA live commentary of Game 2 of the 2023 ALDS matchup between the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles from the historic Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.
It is incredible how one game changes everything, but it most certainly does. Coming into the ALDS both the Rangers and O’s would have been seen as a 50-50 matchup, with both teams having a blinder of a season. The Orioles finished strong and miles ahead in the AL East, while the Rangers squandered a healthy lead to head into the playoffs as a Wild Card team.
But now that the Rangers have won Game 1, the landscape is shifted. It doesn’t matter if they “got lucky” or “just held on” or not. What matters is that the ALDS went from level-pegging to a decidedly Texas-leaning contest.
While the Orioles now have to win three out of four games, Texas has only to win two of four. In short, the road in front of the Orioles just got a whole lot steeper. The two teams split series this season, sharing the first one and the Rangers taking the second. Overall, Texas is 4-3 against Baltimore in the regular season.
And Game 1 was the one that Baltimore had to win. Texas started Andrew Heaney, the weakest link in their rotation, offering the Orioles a chance to jump on top, which was not captialized upon.
Tonight, the Rangers will start Jordan Montgomery, who has been a top performer this season and was lights-out in his last start against Tampa, giving up just six hits for no runs in seven blistering innings.
The Baltimore bats will have to come alive if they are to keep pace with the Texas Rangers who possess the single most potent offense in the American League. They have the talent to do it, with a stellar catcher in Adley Rutschman plus Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins who can really boom at the plate.