Texas Steal Home Field Advantage In the World Series

The Texas Rangers were scoreless until the ninth inning against the surprising St. Louis Cardinals in Game Two of the World Series in St. Louis.


The Cardinals took the lead in the series on Wednesday with a 3-2 win.  Tony La Russa pushed the right button by sending Allen Craig to pinch hit against Alexi Ogando, a former outfielder who became the Rangers fifth starter.  


Craig poked a single to right in the sixth inning put the St. Louis bullpen which was a problem all year for the Cardinals, to shine in closing the game out.


Game two was a pitching duel between Colby Lewis of Texas and Jaime Garcia of St. Louis.  After singles by David Freese and Nick Punto put runners on the corners with two out against Lewis. 

Jim LaBarbara

Texas manager, Ron Washington, was true to his strategy and brought in Ogando again.  La Russa kept to his strategy and sent Craig to the plate again.  For the second straight night, Craig put his team up by a run.


The Cardinal bullpen, Fernando Salas, and Marc Rzepczynski  (nicknamed Scrabble) held the Rangers off until the ninth.


Jason Motte, the defacto closer, started the ninth for the Cardinals.  Ian Kinsler dropped a single into left field.  The Cardinals, playing "no doubles" allowed the ball to fall in.  it is a strategy similar to footballs prevent defense.  Sometimes it backfires like it did tonight.


The theory is that you force the Rangers hitters to get a series of hits by preventing the extra base hit.  Kinsler spoiled the strategy by getting a great jump on Motte to steal second ahead of a strong throw by Yadier Molina.


Elvis Andrus singled to right center but took second when the throw from Jon Jay eluded Albert Pujols, the cut off man. Kinsler stopped at third.


The inability to handle the throw allowed Andrus to move into scoring position.


La Russa elected to take Motte down in favor of former Red and most recently former Ranger, Arthur Rhodes.


Rhodes job was to strike out Josh Hamilton, another former Red.  Hamilton hit a fly deep enough to score Kinsler with the tying run.


Cleanup hitter Michael Young followed with another sacrifice fly to give Texas its first World Series lead.


Texas closer Neftali Feliz walked Molina to start the inning but struck out Punto, who failed to move Molina along.  He also fanned Schumaker and retired Rafael Furcal with a fly to Nelson Cruz in right.


The Series now becomes a best of five with at least three games in Arlington, Texas giving the Rangers the home field advantage.