Rangers Rout Tigers 15-5 in ALCS Game 6 to Advance to the World Series

For the second straight year, the Texas Rangers have secured a spot in the Fall Classic from a Game 6 ALCS. Last year, it was against the New York Yankees, a team that no one thought the Rangers could beat. This year, there was a bit more confidence in the under-estimated team as they went up against the Detroit Tigers and eventually took them out to advance to the World Series for the second consecutive year with the AL Pennant under their wing.

Nelson Cruz had a great night as he set a postseason record – not just in the franchise, but all of Major League Baseball – with six home runs in a single series. Cruz also set another postseason record with 13 RBIs for the ALCS. He was selected as the MVP, as if we didn’t already realize that was going to happen.

As the longest tenured player of the Texas Rangers and a player who has started a game this year at DH, 1B, 2B, 3B and SS, Michael Young hit a homer in Game 6 along with five RBIs.
At the end of the night, the Rangers had scored 15 runs, which was the most that had ever been scored in a postseason game for the franchise and the most in MLB since the 2004 ALCS Game 4 when the New York Yankees routed the Boston Red Sox 19-8.

As for the starting pitching of the night, Derek Holland didn’t perform his greatest mound-time. The “Dustache” didn’t even last a full four innings before being replaced by the bullpen, which included Alexi Ogando, who like always pitched the hell out of his opponent. However, the Texas Rangers have shown the world that starting pitching isn’t the key to success and is not the key to the road that leads to the World Series. While starting pitching is obviously imperative, a strong bullpen, dominant defense and powerful offense is just as important.

The Rangers do not know who their opponent is just yet; however, the World Series will begin at the NL Champion on Wednesday night. The Rangers will either be traveling to Milwaukee to play against the Brewers or St. Louis to face the Cardinals. The St. Louis Cardinals currently lead the 2011 NLCS 3-2 and will play tonight at 7:00 p.m. CST. If necessary, Game 7 will occur tomorrow night at the same time. I personally think that Cards will take it tonight and the Rangers will be facing them in the World Series. A part of that team is Lance Berkman who said that the Rangers were just an average team.

They were defeated last year in the World Series against the San Francisco Giants. They won’t look for this to happen two straight years in a row especially since they are the first MLB team to make back-to-back appearances in the World Series since the New York Yankees did it in 1999. They’ve made it to the Fall Classic two consecutive years and they won’t let this title get away from them for the second straight year.