Texas Manager Ron Washington reflects on the run that won the St. Louis Cardinals Game 1 in the World Series
The Texas Rangers kicked off their World Series campaign with a close defeat as the St. Louis Cardinals took the lead in the competition with a 3 – 2 win over their opponents on Wednesday, October 19, at the Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The important thing
to note about Game 1 encounter was the catch dropped by the Rangers in the bottom of the sixth inning. Texas manager Ron Washington took the opportunity to back up his reliever, Alexi Ogando, over the unearned run that went against him.
Originally, C. J. Wilson was supposed to pitch the entire sixth inning but with two Cardinals players out, the pitcher put David Freese on third base and Nick Punto on first base. Washington elected to bring in Ogando and the hurler lasted just 0.1 innings.
He conceded the third and crucial run of the game when pinch hitter, Allen Craig, managed a lofted single to the right to send Freese home with the third run.
Nelson Cruz was very close to the ball but he was unable to get his glove to it. Ogando finished his time on the mound with a fly out but he did not pick up the run as Wilson earned it instead. Washington talked about his choice in Ogando heading the mound
after Wilson was taken off.
"[Ogando] was my best pitcher, I felt, right there in that situation," Washington said. "He can command all of his pitches. I think in the end, you have to give Craig credit; he beat him. We certainly didn't lose tonight; we got beat.
"They had an opportunity to push a run across. The pinch-hitter got it done, and ours didn't. You've got to give them credit; they beat us. We didn't give that game away tonight."
The Rangers were only able to respond to the Cardinals with a two-run homer from Mike Napoli. There is optimism in the air over the club’s chances of coming back in Game 2. Colby Lewis will be given the pitching duty in that encounter. The team will need
to pull one win off in the next game to move to 1 – 1 in the World Series.
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