Matt Harrison, Ron Washington deem playing at home to be favourable for Texas Rangers – MLB Update
Talking to reporters on the eve of Game 3, Texas Rangers’ starting pitcher Matt Harrison and manager Ron Washington expressed that the team is in a better position to win games as the series shifts to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington for the next three games, starting Saturday, October 22.
Playing down talks of Rangers being a stronger team, Harrison stated that the Cardinals’ are a comparable outfit and have what it takes to become Champions. Talking about their offensive abilities, Harrison added that players like David Freese, Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday can destroy any bull-pen and their hitting is commendable.
Explaining his strategy for Game 3, Harrison explained that he will make sure that he keeps the ball down and thus keep the hitters at bay. He said, “They've got a good line-up 1 through 9, so I just try to keep the guys off the bases ahead of the guys in the middle, and just go out there and try to execute my game plan as best as possible.”
While conditions at Busch Stadium were favourable for the pitchers, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington will be a hitters’ paradise. Both teams have the ability to score runs in plenty and Game 6 of the Championship Series was a perfect example of how these teams can ruin the opposition.
The Rangers annihilated the Detroit Tigers 15-5, while the Cardinals destroyed the Milwaukee Brewers 12-6 to steel their place in the World Series and become only the tenth Wild Card team to do so.
Commenting on playing at home, Harrison asserted that the environment will be relatively comfortable and the players are used to playing in these conditions. He highlighted the fact that most players in the line-up had never been to St. Louis before and thus it was difficult to adjust to the environment.
Washington agreed with Harrison and stated that with fans in support, the team does get a boost in home games. However, he was quick to add that this does not give the Rangers a license to win and that the Cardinals will have an equal chance of prevailing on the road.
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