Rangers finally show up for World Series thanks to a three-run homer from Mitch Moreland (18) and a dominant start from Colby Lewis. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)With one swing of the bat, the Texas Rangers have made this a series again.
Mitch Moreland's nine pitch at-bat with two-on, two-outs and a 2-2 count in the second inning culminated with a three-run shot that gives this Texas team hope going forward. Moreland fouled off four straight pitches before blasting a 397 foot shot into the stands in left field and putting the Rangers' up 3-0.
"I knew I had a runner in scoring position, so he was going to try to pitch me tough and I fouled off some off speed stuff and just tried to battle back, and I got the fastball," Moreland said.
And to think this guy wasn't even on the Major League roster to begin the season. Moreland was called up in July, but finds himself tied for fifth in postseason RBI (7) with Michael Young. Josh Hamilton, who had been 1 for 18 in two previous game, provided the other Texas run - a 434 foot solo homer over the right field wall that gave the Rangers some cushion at 4-0.
"I felt like tonight I just stayed square and covered the ball," Hamilton said. ..."We're still down one game, but it's shifted."
While the offensive performance was great, let's not discount a Rangers' pitching staff that held the red-hot Giants' offense in check for the first time all series. Colby Lewis did most of the heavy lifting on the mound, going 7 2-3 strong innings. Lewis scattered five hits and struck out six in giving up two earned runs on the night, proving that his excellent showing to close-out the Yankees in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) was no fluke.
"I was just really excited to come back home. I knew with these fans out here we had a definite advantage," Lewis said. "It was just a thing of comfort-ability."
The Texas bullpen, bullied and beaten up to the tune of 11 of the Giants 20 total runs this series, actually provided some relief in this game. Darren O'Day came in and closed out the eighth inning on seven pitches, stranding Giants' first-baseman Aubrey Huff at first base. Neftali Feliz, who hadn't pitched since since the ALCS, came in to close out the ninth and retired the side; striking out both Pat Burrell and Juan Uribe looking for his first career postseason save.
"We wanted to get back home. We felt comfortable here," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "We knew we could finally put a good game together, and we did."
Texas has a chance to tie up the series at 2-apiece Sunday night at the Ballpark in Arlington, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:20 p.m.
24-year old Tommy Hunter (0-1, 6.14 ERA in two starts this postseason) will start for the Rangers against 21-yard old Madison Bumgarner (1-0, 3.56 ERA in three postseason starts) in a battle of relatively unproven players on the mound.
News and Notes:
- Neftali Feliz (22) is the second youngest player in World Series history to record a save.
- Outfielders Andres Torres and Cody Ross each had solo home runs for the Giants. It was Torres' first of the postseason and the fifth for Ross.
- Every run scored in the game was by home run, two for each team.
(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)
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