The Texas Rangers, who faced an unexpected turn of events by landing in the wild-card round, have now earned a spot in the American League Championship Series (ALCS). They clinched their ALCS berth with a solid 7-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Arlington, Texas on Tuesday.
After a successful sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays in a two-game AL wild-card series, the Rangers continued their strong performance, outscoring the Orioles 21-11 across three games in the AL Division Series. This will mark the Rangers’ first appearance in the ALCS since their back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.
Corey Seager, one of the Texas stars, acknowledged the team’s quick turnaround: “We regrouped on that flight… We moved on really fast, and we knew we had an opportunity in front of us.”
In Tuesday’s game, the Rangers showcased their power at home. Seager, Adolis Garcia, and Nathaniel Lowe all contributed home runs. Mitch Garver played a key role with a two-run double, with Garver, Garcia, and Josh Jung each delivering two hits.
Pitcher Nathan Eovaldi put on an impressive performance for Texas, allowing just one run and five hits over seven innings, striking out seven and walking none.
The Rangers will now face either the Houston Astros or the Minnesota Twins in the ALCS, with Game 1 scheduled for Sunday in either Houston or Minneapolis.
This success is a remarkable turnaround for the Rangers, who had a challenging season last year, finishing with a record of 68-94. Manager Bruce Bochy, who was coaxed out of a three-year retirement by Texas General Manager Chris Young, is now one step closer to adding another World Series title to his impressive career.
Bochy expressed his enthusiasm: “It’s just unreal. This is what I came back for, hoping something like this would happen. These guys have been warriors. Road warriors. The kind of baseball they’ve been playing is awesome.”
Despite a bittersweet ending for the Orioles, who defied expectations, winning an AL-best 101 games in the regular season, manager Brandon Hyde recognized the team’s success and bright future: “It’s definitely a successful season, and these guys are going to be really good going forward.”
This victory was a significant milestone for the Rangers, marking their first home game since September 24. Texas played its previous 11 games, including seven to end the regular season and four to start the playoffs, on the road.
The game saw a quick start for Texas, with Seager hitting a 445-foot homer in the first inning, while Garver’s two-run double in the second extended their lead. Adolis Garcia then hit a three-run homer to make it 6-0. The Orioles managed to score their only run in the fifth inning, but Lowe’s homer in the sixth secured the victory for the Rangers.
Dean Kremer, who started for the Orioles, had a challenging outing, allowing six runs and seven hits in just 1 2/3 innings. The loss sent the Orioles home, having lost eight straight playoff games since 2014.
