It looked like Texas had the game locked-up, until a minor gaffe in the sixth inning of course. By Josh Hyber
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| (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) |
On the 25th anniversary of Bill Buckner’s infamous error in “Game Six”
of the 1986 World Series, Rangers RF Nelson Cruz made a similar gaff in a
World Series-game six that will haunt his team, at least for another
season. Texas was one out away from winning the Fall Classic, but a
routine fly ball sailed over Cruz, letting Albert Pujols and Lance
Berkman scored, and the Cardinals took game six to extra innings.
The batter, series MVP David Freese, went on to hit an 11th inning walk-off homerun to ensure a game seven. There are no tales, yet, of Freese, Pujols, or Berkman calling to make flight arrangements in the locker room during the game (a la Kevin Mitchell of the ‘86 Mets), but it wouldn’t be surprising if St. Louis players were counting the minutes until their off-season. Twice the Rangers were one strike away from winning.
The batter, series MVP David Freese, went on to hit an 11th inning walk-off homerun to ensure a game seven. There are no tales, yet, of Freese, Pujols, or Berkman calling to make flight arrangements in the locker room during the game (a la Kevin Mitchell of the ‘86 Mets), but it wouldn’t be surprising if St. Louis players were counting the minutes until their off-season. Twice the Rangers were one strike away from winning.
Game six was one for the ages. Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz hit consecutive home runs off Lance Lynn to start the seventh, giving Texas the lead. Ian Kinsler added an RBI single to make it 7-4. The Freese 9th inning two-run triple tied the score at seven. Josh Hamilton hit a two-run shot off Jason Motte in the 10th to put Texas in front 9-7. Three hits produced two runs for the Red Birds in the 10th, tying the game yet again. Who other than Freese would hit an 11th inning walk-off?
As absurd as Nelson Cruz’s record-setting post-season of eight homeruns was, the St. Louis native-Freese set the post-season record with 21 RBIs. Pujols wasn’t too shabby either, becoming the third player (along with Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson) to hit three homers in a World Series game. His intentional walks throughout the series set up Berkman and Freese behind him.
Texas’ World-Series drought continues, as they still have not won a championship in their fifty-year franchise history. Maybe it’s the name: the NHL’s New York Rangers had a fifty-four year drought from 1940 to 1994. Mark down a Texas Rangers World Series victory in 2013.
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