Texas Rangers look to advance to World Series in front of home crowd in Game 6 of ALCS
Every time the Texas Rangers make the playoffs, the New York Yankees are there to test them. So far the Rangers have failed each test. In fact the Rangers are 0-3 against the Yankees in playoff series, and 1-0 against teams not from New York, that sole series
win coming against the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Divisional Series (ALDS), but this year looks to be the one that sees the Rangers finally make it to the World Series, and break their New York curse at the same time.
First the Rangers have a 3-2 game lead in the American League Championship Series (ALCS), and the remaining two games are at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, starting with Game 6 Friday night. You may consider that the Rangers won their first home playoff
game ever in Game 2 of this series with the Yankees after seven failed attempts. Their home playoff record is now 1-7. All that losing seems to have given the fans a little extra that they may be able to pass onto the team.
When the team arrived home after losing Game 5 to New York, they were greeted by thousands of adoring fans.
“This is crazy,” pitcher C.J. Wilson said. “There are thousands of fans here responding to us. We want to get this done for them.”
Not only are the Rangers at home needing to win only one of the remaining two games, Cliff Lee is set to pitch Game 7 should the team need it. That means that even if the Yankees win Game 6, they still have to bet one of the best pitchers in the Majors on
the road.
Before they worry about Lee, they’re going to have to beat Colby Lewis, who was 12-13 this season with a 3.72 ERA. He’s 1-0 so far in the playoffs with a 1.69 ERA.
On the other side of the diamond, pitching for New York, is Phil Hughes, who went 18-8 this season with a 4.19 ERA. Hughes is 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA in this year’s playoffs.
Hughes gave up seven runs on 10 hits in Game 2 of the ALCS. Those numbers do not bode well for the Yankees.
“You know, I'm just thrilled to have this opportunity again,” said Hughes “It wasn't guaranteed I would have another start in the series, and I'm just happy to be able to pitch, and turn in a better start than my last one.”
After slumping through Games 2, 3, and 4, the Bronx Bombers woke up in Game 5 with 7 runs. They’ll need to reproduce those kinds of totals to stay alive for another crack at Lee.
The Rangers have just as much incentive to win Game 6 as the Yankees do. It may not be do-or-die for Texas just yet, but they would much prefer to have Lee rested and ready to go in Game 1 of the World Series. Because they needed him to pitch Game 5 of the
ALDS, Lee wasn’t available to pitch until Game 3 of the ALCS, something they would prefer to not reproduce.
Prediction: Both starters will do well, but neither will dominate. The Rangers will earn a 5-4 walk off win to advance to their first ever World Series.
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