PHOENIX — The Rangers, after 62 years as a Major League Baseball franchise and 51 in Texas, can finally call themselves World Series champions.
A 5-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5 on Wednesday clinched the Rangers’ first title in three trips to the Fall Classic. Texas took all three games at Chase Field to end the postseason with an all-time-record 11-0 road mark.
Mitch Garver snapped a scoreless tie with a run-scoring single in the seventh inning, Nathan Eovaldi pitched six scoreless innings and the Rangers’ offense broke open a close game with four runs in the ninth inning off Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald.
Game 5 was a case of wasted chance after chance for the Diamondbacks, who hoped to send the series back to Texas for at least Game 6. Starter Zac Gallen no-hit the Rangers through six innings, allowing only one baserunner over that span.
However, the Diamondbacks’ offense couldn’t offer Gallen any run support. Arizona put at least one runner in scoring position in each of the first five innings of the game but couldn’t get any of those seven runners home. They left nine on base in the first five innings.
Gallen (2-3) gave the Diamondbacks the start they needed from their ace. Trying to find his best stuff throughout the postseason, Gallen finally rediscovered it, retiring the first 14 batters to begin the game.
Eovaldi (5-0) was nearly as sharp, yielding four hits and five walks while striking out five.
The Rangers finally got to Gallen in the seventh. Corey Seager singled to left field, Evan Carter doubled to right and Garver singled to center to drive in Seager. Gallen got one out in the inning before being taken out.
Diamondbacks reliever Kevin Ginkel escaped the inning without giving up any more runs, and he worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the top of the eighth.
Gallen wound up charged with one run on three hits and a walk in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out six.
The Rangers sealed their historic win in the ninth when Josh Jung, Nathaniel Lowe and Jonah Heim hit three straight singles. Heim’s hit rolled under Arizona center fielder Alek Thomas’ glove for a critical two-base error that allowed Jung and Lowe to score.
Two outs later, Marcus Semien lined a two-run home run into the left field seats, bounding joyously around first base.
Josh Sborz pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for the save of his postseason career, fanning Arizona’s Ketel Marte looking for the final out of the World Series.
–Jose M. Romero, Field Level Media