Rangers’ road to the World Series: ALCS Day 6 – thwarting the Yankees (Part 3)
The Texas Rangers were at the edge of qualifying for the World Series; the team had just one task on its mind and that was to beat the New York Yankees in the 6th game of the American League championship. The roster
was searching for the win in the 5th fixture but the opportunity was thrashed when Carsten Charles Sabathia pitched the Yanks to an important victory at home in front of the Yankees’ fans. Joe Girardi’s players were successful to repel the West
side Champions from prevailing in the previous game, but the competition was far from over.
The Yankees needed 2 wins to go through to the World Series contest in the Major Leagues. Baseball’s ultimate prize was on stake for the reigning champions and their 28th brace for the ultimate trophy seemed like a dream.
For the Rangers, the situation was different and unique. They had never gone through to the World Series before. In addition to that, they had entered the post season back in 1999. The Texans had never won a match in the playoffs
and all of their post season matches had been squared off with the Yanks, who came out victorious on each occasion. The underdogs had been unsuccessful in each try and manager Ron Washington was hoping for a change in fate as the team went in, this season.
The first record was made when Texas beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the first time in the post season.
The second record was made for the Rangers when the team went to the American League Championship, to face the New York Yankees. With the West Division title holders leading the wins with a tally of 3 – 2, there was always going
to be a chance of progression in the next game.
The Yankees fielded Phil Hughes on the mound for the encounter and the pitcher who won 18 games in the regular season came in to make his mark on the playoffs and prevent the Ranger’s hitting squad any freedom in the strike zone.
His counterpart was none other than Colby Lewis. The Texan pitcher was coming in with a good win over the Yanks and his inclusion in the game was supposed to boast the side for the chances to go to the World Series for the first time Major League Baseball
history.
The Yankees started the bout with the bat while Lewis began his campaign for the Rangers on the mound. The pitcher quelled the Yankee threat in the top 1st inning. Unfortunately, Phil wasn’t lucky for New York, as Elvis
Andrus added a run in the bottom 1st inning to put the side up.
The action picked up from the top 2nd inning and while most Yankee hitters were looking for the magic run, they never found it, as the game went into the next innings. The situation was no different for the Rangers who
suddenly fell down the hitting fold. The 3rd and the 4th innings went in the same manner and it wasn’t till the 5th inning that a run was scored.
Lewis was pitching for the Texans in the top 5th inning and Alex Rodriguez came out to face the ace man on the mound. A – Rod was looking for a chance against his former team and he found it in the way of a double, played
to the deep left centre. Upon his move to the first base, Mark Teixeira’s replacement, Lance Berkman, made his way to the strike zone to face Colby. The Big Puma, acquired from the Houston Astros during the summer, was up to the mark and he flied out to the
centre to get Rodriguez to third base. The Rangers were aware of what was up next and through some unprecedented pressure, Colby threw a wild pitch. That throw got Rodriguez through for the run as the visiting Yanks went up to equalize against the Texans in
the fixture.
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