The Arizona Diamondbacks tried to overhaul an 11-1 deficit in the final two innings of Game 4 of the 2023 World Series. However, the ten-run Texas Rangers lead was tough to overcome. The National League champions did their best but ended up with only seven runs.
The damage was done early when the Rangers scored five runs each in the second and third innings. Even without Adolis Garcia, they became the first World Series participant to score five runs in two innings. Bruce Bochy’s crew added another run in the top of the 8th inning to stretch their lead.
The Rangers Bats are Blazing!
It’s as if Garcia, sidelined by muscle tightness, passed on his hitting power to Marcus Semien. The Rangers’ second baseman opened up the scoring with a two-run triple, sending Leody Taveras and Travis Jankowski to home plate.
Semien’s hit expanded Texas’ lead to 3-0 after Josh Jung scored the Rangers’ first run off a wild pitch by Miguel Castro.
They were not done as Corey Seager connected on his sixth home run this postseason, stretching Texas’ lead to 5-0. Seager sent Simien home, and their hits came when they had two outs. The shortstop is making a case for becoming Mr. October after connecting on his 19th postseason home run, one more than Reggie Jackson’s mark.
Texas’ onslaught continued in the third when Jankowski drove Jung and Nathaniel Lowe home with his line-drive double. Semien had a three-run homer to make it 10-0. Jonah Heim went yard in the eighth to make the count 11-1.
The Rangers ended Game 4 with 11 hits, 11 runs, and 10 RBIs in 38 at-bats. They remain undefeated on the road during their 2023 MLB postseason, notching their tenth win away from their home park. More importantly, they are one win away from the franchise’s first World Series title.
Rangers don’t want a repeat of 2011 to happen
The odds are in Texas’ favor to close out the 2023 World Series as teams that go ahead 3-1 in a best-of-seven postseason series went on to win 85 percent (78 out of 92) of the time. However, Rangers fans won’t forget the bitter ending of the 2011 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
They were a strike away from defeating the Cardinals at Busch Stadium to claim the Commissioner’s Trophy. Instead, the home team rallied to beat them in 11 innings before claiming the championship in Game 7.
Therefore, the Rangers have first-hand experience that the series isn’t over until they win number four. That’s what they would like to get in Game 5 with Nathan Eovaldi as their starting pitcher.
-Lance Fernandez