The Texas Rangers continued their hot streak as their American League Division Series against the Baltimore Orioles began over the weekend.
The Rangers won both games, increasing their winning streak to four games and continuing a so-far undefeated postseason. The series now moves to Arlington, with Texas just one win away from eliminating Baltimore and advancing to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) for the first time since 2011.
“The atmosphere here in Baltimore was amazing,” starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi told USA Today. “The fans have been electric. But I think we’re all really excited to get home and have that playoff game, the first one since 2016, back home. We’re going to feed off of them big time, and it’s going to be fun.”
Designated hitter Mitch Garver led Texas to an 11-8 win in a Game 2 slugfest, going 2-6 with a grand slam and five RBIs.
The Rangers trailed 2-0 after the first inning, but Garver’s infield single in the second scored Leody Taveras to give Texas a 3-2 lead as part of a five-run inning. After three consecutive walks in the third, he belted a grand slam over the left-field wall to increase the lead to seven runs.
Baltimore mounted a late rally against the Rangers’ bullpen, but Garver and second baseman Marcus Semien added enough insurance runs to hold on.
The Rangers have outscored their opponents 25-11, and the early 2-0 deficit on Sunday was the first time they had trailed all postseason. Now, they have a chance to eliminate the No.1 seed in the American League, which would give manager Bruce Bochy his fourth Championship Series appearance and first in the American League.
Game 3 of the ALDS is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:03 p.m. CT. Eovaldi (12-5, 3.63 ERA in the regular season) will start for Texas against a Baltimore starter yet to be announced.
The game will be the first Rangers home playoff game at Globe Life Field, which served as a neutral host site for the playoffs during the shortened 2020 season.
