The 119th World Series
Friday marked the 119th renewal of the World Series featuring the American League Champion Texas Rangers and the National League Champion Arizona Diamondbacks. The Texas Rangers won Game 2 of the Fall Classic to even the series one game a piece. Marcus Semien gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with a an RBI single in the third inning. He came around to score on Corey Seager’s two-run homer, which made it a 3-0 lead. Geraldo Perdomo plated Arizona’s first run of the game with an RBI single in the eighth inning.
Rangers Take Game 2
The Texas Rangers won Game 2 by a final score of 3-1. With the win, it is the fourth straight World Series that has not had a team win back-toback games within the first three games of the World Series.
- The Rangers are 5-9 all-time in Game 3 of a Postseason series, 3-3 in Game 3 of a best-of-seven series and 2-1 in Game 3 of the World Series. The 2017 Houston Astros were the last team to go down 1-0 in the series and come back to take a 2-1 Series lead.
- Teams who win Game 3 of the World Series have gone on to win the World Series 75 times (63.6%), including 12 of the last 23 years.
- It is the 11th consecutive World Series that will not end in a sweep, with the last sweep coming by the San Francisco Giants in the 2012 World Series over the Detroit Tigers.
- 11 consecutive World Series without a sweep is the second-longest stretch in World Series history, behind a 12-year streak from 1977- 1988 which saw no teams record a World Series sweep.
Take-Off
Shortstop Corey Seager (1-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R) launched his fifth home run of the Postseason, going deep in the third inning to make it 3-0. Overall, it was his 18th career Postseason home run. His 18 career Postseason home runs as a shortstop are tied for second-most with Carlos Correa. Derek Jeter holds the record with 20 career Postseason home runs as a shortstop. Since making his debut in 2015, Seager’s 18 career Postseason home runs are tied with Carlos Correa for fifth-most in all of Baseball.
Marte Keeps Marching
Second baseman Ketel Marte (1-for-3, 1 BB) hit a single in the sixth inning to exted his Postseason hitting streak to 19 games. His 19-game hitting streak which dates back to 2017 is the longest in Postseason history, surpassing 17-game streaks by Manny Ramirez, Derek Jeter and Hank Bauer. Marte’s streak is also the longest by a player to begin his Postseason career. Marte has reached in each of his first 19 career Postseason games, marking the third longest on-base streak to begin a Postseason career.
- Daniel Murphy reached in each of his first 21 career Postseason games from 10/9/2015 through 10/7/2017.
- Boog Powell of the Baltimore Orioles each of his first 25 career Postseason games from 10/5/1966 through 10/11/1971.
Marte has hit safely in each of his first 15 games this Postseason, which is the second-longest hitting streak of his career behind a 16-game regular season streak from May 16-June 4, 2022.
That Was Quick
Tonight’s game was played in two hours and fifty-two minutes (2:52), marking the shortest World Series game since 2017. It is the first time since Games 1 and 2 of the 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals that back-to-back World Series games were played in under three hours. Tonight’s game was the shortest World Series game since the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros played Game 1 of the 2017 World Series in two hours and twenty-eight minutes (2:28). Overall, it was the 15th World Series game since 2000 that was completed in under three hours. There have been 17 games this Postseason under three hours, marking the most since an MLB-record 25 games during the 1981 Postseason were played under three hours. From 2017-2022 there were 15 total Postseason games under three hours.
Clean Defense
There has not been an error committed through the first three games of this year’s World Series, marking the first time in World Series history that neither team committed an error in any of the first three games. There has never been a World Series played with zero errors at the end of the Series. Adolis GarcÃa recorded an outfield assist in the second inning, throwing out Christian Walker at home plate to keep the game scoreless. The Rangers have recorded five outfield assists this Postseason, tied with many teams for the third-most in a single Postseason. The 1999 New York Mets and 1980 Philadelphia Phillies hold the record with seven outfield assists during their Postseason runs.
The Starters
Right-hander Max Scherzer allowed two hits with two walks and one strikeout over 3.0 scoreless innings. He was removed from the game with back tightnes prior to the start of the fourth inning. Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt allowed three earned runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts over 5.1 innings. The two pitchers are separated by 14 years and 80 days, marking the ninth-largest age difference between two starting pitchers of a World Series Game, per Elias.
Back Where It All Started
Per Elias, Brandon Pfaadt became the eighth pitcher (10th occurrence) to start a World Series game against the team they made their first career start against. He is the first pitcher to accomplish the feat in the same year as his debut. Pfaadt joins Nathan Eovaldi of the 2023 Texas Rangers (vs. AZ); Tim Wakefield of the 2004 Boston Red Sox (vs. STL); Milt Wilcox of the 1984 Detroit Tigers (vs. SD); Jim Merritt of the 1970 Cincinnati Reds (vs. BAL); Jim McGlothlin of the 1970 Cincinnati Reds (vs. BAL); Dick Donovan of the 1959 Chicago White Sox (vs. LAD); and Bobo Newsom of the 1940 Detroit Tigers (vs. CIN).
Against the Old Club
Per Elias, Max Scherzer became the seventh pitcher (10th occurrence) to start a World Series game against the team that drafted and signed him. He joins Jeff Weaver of the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals (vs. DET); Jeff Suppan of the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals (vs. BOS); Al Leiter of the 2000 New York Mets (vs. NYY); Sterling Hitchcock of the 1998 San Diego Padres (vs. NYY); Dave Stewart of the 1988 Oakland Athletics (vs. LAD); and Bob Welch of the 1988 Oakland Athletics (vs. LAD).
Agent Carter
Left fielder Evan Carter (2-for-3, 1 BB) has reached safely in each of his 15 Postseason games this year, tying the longest on-base streak in Rangers’ Postseason history held by Elvis Andrus who reached in 15 straight games during the 2010 Postseason. Carter’s 15-game on-base streak to begin his Postseason career is tied with Chris Taylor of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Elvis Andrus of the Texas Rangers for the third-longest streak all-time within a player’s first Postseason. Gary Sheffield of the Florida Marlins holds the record
Get on the Board
Teams who score first this Postseason are now 30-9 (.769) and Texas is now 8-0 when scoring first this Postseason. Combined with their Regular season record, the Rangers are now 67-26 this season when scoring first. The American League is 259-102 when scoring first in World Series Games. The AL has scored first in 52.3% of 690 World Series games all-time.
Small Ball
The Diamondbacks out-hit the Rangers 6-5. Tonight’s game marks the 15th win of the year for Texas when they were out-hit by their opponent, including regular season and Postseason games. The Diamondbacks are now 70-17 this year when out-hitting their opponent.
Steal a Base, Steal a Record?
Teams have combined for 55 stolen bases in this year’s Postseason, the third-most for a single Postseason in MLB history. MLB set the record with 59 steals during the 1995 Postseason, followed by 56 steals during the 1999 Postseason. The Arizona Diamondbacks have swiped 21 bases this Postseason, the second-most of any team in a single Postseason. The 2008 Tampa Bay Rays stole an MLB-record 24 stolen bases throughout the 2008 Postseason.
Thanks for Joining Us
The Diamondbacks drew an attendance of 48,517 to Chase Field for tonight’s game.
