By: Nicholas Gilanfar
After back-to-back World Series losses in 2010 and 2011, a seven-year rebuild, and a roller coaster of a season with both highs and lows, the Rangers took care of business in Game 7 and clinched the franchise’s third-ever American League Pennant. In Game 7, the Rangers defeated the Houston Astros 11-4 as Houston will miss a World Series berth for the first time since 2020. The Texas Rangers are the first team to clinch a spot in the 2023 World Series as they will be scoreboard watching for the Arizona Diamondbacks versus the Philadelphia Phillies as they will play in Game 7 on Tuesday.
A key to the Rangers victory was the dynamic performance from Adolis Garcia as he was rewarded the ALCS MVP. Garcia went 11-29 in the ALCS with a 0.379 as well as logging 15 RBIs and five home runs. Garcia’s 15 RBIs in the ALCS marks the most by any individual player in any playoff series in MLB history. After the Game 5 scuffle with Bryan Abreu and Adolis Garcia, the Houston crowd had a bone to pick with Garcia showering him with boos for the remaining two games. Garcia responded with nine RBIs and three home runs in those closing games of the series.
Another key to the Rangers clinching the American League pennant was being able to get to Houston’s starting pitcher Christian Javier fast and early. Javier was overwhelmed quickly by the Rangers’ batting order as he was only able to pitch 0.1 inning letting up four hits and three runs which set up the Rangers’ momentum down the stretch.
Pitching performances were also deemed rocky with Max Scherzer headed to the mound for the Rangers as he was getting plucked early only pitching 2.2 innings while letting up four hits and two runs. Luckily the Rangers had a full bullpen, so they were able to put starter Jordan Montgomery for the Rangers sealed the deal for the clinched pennant being tallied as the winning pitcher going 2.1 innings letting up three hits and zero runs.
An Offensive Masterclass in game seven
In Game seven, the Rangers tallied 11 runs and 15 hits with the team hitting a batting average of .357 en route to the clinching of the AL Pennant. Every hitter on the Rangers was able to tally a hit except for OF Leody Taveras as it was noted from the start that this game would produce a lot of runs as the umpire calls his balls and strikes inside of the box.
The Rangers went yard with four home runs in game seven as Corey Seager got it started followed by Nathaniel Lowe and two home runs from ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia. By the time it reached the sixth inning the Rangers already cemented a 10-2 lead as the Nathaniel Lowe home run wiped out Minute Maid Park as the home fans had enough of the Texas Rangers rallying towards a game seven victory.
Adolis Garcia, who ended up winning ALCS MVP honors finished the night hitting 4-5 driving in three runs, five RBIs, and two home runs to go along with it as he has been hitting .327 for the entire postseason. Also, who deserves credit is the always reliable Corey Seager who is coming off an MVP campaign in 2023 and went 3-5 driving in two runs and an RBI and Home Run in game seven as both Seager and Garcia are the driving force of the ALCS run.
What’s Next?
No matter what the outcome may be in game seven of the ALCS between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies, game one of the World Series will take place on Friday at 7:00 PM (CST) in Arlington Texas at Globe Life Field. The Texas Rangers will have home-field advantage to start the fall classic as they are officially four victories away from hoisting the franchise’s first-ever World Series trophy.