The MLB playoffs belong to Adolis Garcia.
The American League Championship Series MVP picked up where he left off in Game 1 of the World Series Friday night, giving the Texas Rangers a victory in an instant classic.
After driving in a record 15 runs in the ALCS, he hit a home run Friday night to give the Rangers a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Garcia homered shortly after the Diamondbacks brought Miguel Castro in from the bullpen – Garcia was the first batter Castro faced.
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Adolis García #53 of the Texas Rangers is mobbed by his teammates at home plate after hitting a home run in the 11th inning to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 in Game 1 of the World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2023 in Arlington . , Texas. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Garcia has now homered in five straight games, hitting six in that span – he hit two in Game 7 of the ALCS.
The Rangers were down by two runs in the ninth inning, but when Arizona closed, Paul Sewald walked the ninth batter, Corey Seager launched a two-run homer to tie the game.
With the first game of extra innings in the postseason, the “Manfred Man” at second base is nonexistent. Rangers closer Jose Leclerc threw a 1-2-3 10th, and Kyle Nelson walked first in the bottom of the inning. He then induced a double play, but allowed the next two guys to reach base, bringing Seager to the dish. But he failed on a 2-0 pitch to bring it back to the 11th.
Leclerc retired the side in order again, and the second batter in the bottom half of the 11th to Garcia went deep.
Adolis García #53 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run in the 11th inning to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 in Game 1 of the World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
The Rangers got on the board in Game 1, as rookie sensation Evan Carter doubled in the first inning of the World Series. The next batter, Adolis Garcia, followed with an RBI single. But the Snakes answered in the third with a two-run triple by the likely NL Rookie of the Year in Corbin Carroll. Ketel Marte then made a point on a defender’s choice to give them the lead. In the bottom half, the Rangers drew a walk with the bases loaded to tie the game. These were the first points Sewald allowed in the playoffs.
Tommy Pham hit a solo home run to put the D-Backs back on top in the fourth, and in the fifth, Marte tied an MLB record by extending his postseason hitting streak to 17 straight games with an RBI double . He joined Manny Ramirez, Derek Jeter and Hank Bauer as the only players in MLB history to have a hit in 17 consecutive postseason games.
It was the final run of the game until Seager’s heroics in the ninth inning.
Garcia had three hits on the night – he’s hitting .357 with a 1.204 OPS this postseason. He now has 22 RBIs in the postseason, an MLB record.
It was the first World Series home run since Max Muncy hit it for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the 2018 Fall Classic. Ironically, Nathan Eovaldi, the Rangers’ starter on Friday, allowed this circuit.
Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after hitting a home run in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
GEORGE W. BUSH THROWS CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH BEFORE GAME 1 OF THE WORLD SERIES
Eovaldi’s night ended after 4.2 innings – it was his shortest outing of the postseason, as he allowed five earned. But the Rangers’ bullpen, which has been suspect all season, has folded. Dane Dunning, Cody Bradford, Jon Gray, Will Smith and Leclerc combined for 6.1 scoreless innings in relief.
Adolis García #53 of the Texas Rangers celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the 11th inning to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 in Game 1 of the World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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Jordan Montgomery will look to continue his strong pitching when he takes on the Rangers in Game 2 on Saturday night. Merrill Kelly will start for Arizona. This appears to be a pitcher’s duel, as Kelly’s postseason ERA is 2.65, while Montgomery has pitched to a number of 2.16.