A ginger-ale shower engulfs members of the Rangers after a 6-1 win over the Yankees, securing a trip to the first World Series in team history. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)Stop pinching yourself, this really just happened.
The Texas Rangers, winners of a grand total of one playoff game in the franchise's 50 years of existence coming into the season, have beaten the New York Yankees, the current champs and winners of 27 World Series titles along with 40 pennants.
"The World Series is coming to Texas," said Michael Young, the longest-tenured Ranger in his 10th season. "These fans have waited longer than we have. I know how bad we wanted it, and they must have wanted it more."
As they've done throughout the American League Championship Series (ALCS), the Rangers closed out the Yankees with a lethal combination of excellent starting pitching and clutch hitting.
Colby Lewis, who won his first start of the ALCS in game two, was Cliff Lee-like in eight dominating innings on the mound. Lewis scattered three hits and walked three batters, while striking out seven and allowing only one run on what should have been a hit by pitch.
Nick Swisher's ankle was clearly grazed by a Lewis pitch in the fifth inning, but home plate umpire Brian Gorman (and the rest of the umpires) apparently didn't see that and called a wild pitch. Alex Rodriguez jogged home from third and crossed home plate for the first and last Yankee run of the game.
Lewis didn't let that faze him, and the right-hander allowed only three more baserunners over his final 3 2-3 innings. The 51,000 plus in attendance at the Ballpark in Arlington even showered Lewis with a chorus of "Colby, Colby, Colby!" in spurts during the course of the game.
"I got a little too overamped when they were saying my name. It was really, really cool," Lewis said. "I'm speechless. I never thought I'd be in this position."
Rangers' closer Neftali Feliz came on in the ninth inning and retired the side, striking out two of three batters to seal the win. In what was likely the most satisfying moment of the ballgame for Rangers fans, Feliz struck out former Ranger Alex Rodriguez looking on a called third strike to punch the Rangers' World Series ticket.
"Our fans have waited a long time, this organization has waited a long time," Ryan said. "This team, coming out of spring training, was on a mission."
At the plate the Rangers got on the board early and used some clutch, two-out hitting in the fifth to seal the victory. Vladimir Guerrero was the main culprit on both occasions, grounding out in the first two score Elvis Andrus in the first inning and belting a two-run RBI to the gap in left-center field with two outs in the fifth. Guerrero scored both Mitch Moreland, who led off the inning with an infield single, and Josh Hamilton, who was intentionally walked.
Hamilton, who was named the ALCS Most Valuable Player after the game, was visibly moved after the game and gave a heartfelt speech to the still nearly full stadium.
"We are here as a group. This group is here because they don't know how to fail," Hamilton said.
The next batter, Nelson Cruz, gave the Rangers some added cushion with a two-run blast over the wall in left-center field. When the dust was settled, Texas had scored four runs on four hits and negated blown call in the top of the inning. Ian Kinsler added a sac fly in the seventh for the Rangers' final run.
Texas now awaits the winner of the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants series. The Giants lead the NLCS 3-2, and the World Series will take place in either Philly or San Francisco ballpark for the first two games of the series.
(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)
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