MLB World Series Game 5 Pre-Game Notes

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 4 of the Fall Classic to take a 3-1 Series lead. Josh Jung came around to score the first run of the game on a wild pitch in the second inning. Marcus Semien extended the Rangers lead to 3-0 lead with an RBI triple in the second inning. Corey Seager brought Semien home in the next at-bat with a homer to right field to make it 5-0. In the third inning, Travis Jankowski came up with the bases loaded and drove home two runs with an RBI double to make it 7-0. Semien launched a three-run homer in the next at-bat to break open a 10-0 Texas lead. The Diamondbacks scratched a run across in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Jonah Heim added to the Rangers’ lead with a solo home run in the eighth inning. Tommy Pham drove home a run with the bases loaded in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly to make it 11-2. Gurriel Jr. made it 11-5 in the eighth inning with a three-run home run out to left field. Gabriel Moreno closed the scoring with a two-out two-run single in the ninth inning to make it 11-7.

Rangers Take Game 4
The Texas Rangers won Game 4 by a final score of 11-7. With the win, it is the first time a team took a 3-1 Series lead since the Atlanta Braves in 2021. Of the 49 times that a team has taken a 3-1 lead in the World Series, 42 teams have gone on to win the World Series, with 27 of them clinching a World Championship in Game 5.

• Texas plated 11 runs last night, marking the most in a World Series game since the Washington Nationals scored 12 runs in Game 2 of the World Series on 10/23/2019 against the Houston Astros.
• Teams who win Game 4 of the World Series have gone on to win the World Series 85 times (72.0%), including 15 of the last 20 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.

Recency Bias
Entering this year’s Fall Classic, the American League holds the overall lead in the World Series, 67-51.

• The National League has won eight out of the last 13 and 10 of the last 16 with wins by the Cardinals in 2006, the Phillies in 2008, the Giants in 2010, the Cardinals in 2011, the Giants in 2012 and 2014, the Cubs in 2016, the Nationals in 2019, the Dodgers in 2020 and the Braves in 2021.
• Since the Yankees won three straight World Championships from 1998- 2000, the NL holds a narrow lead over the AL with an 12-10 record in the Fall Classic. However, over a longer span in the World Series, the AL has taken 14 of 27 since 1996; 17 of 31 starting in 1991; and 22 of 40 times beginning in 1983.

Game Five
The American League holds a 51-46 lead in Game 5 of the World Series with the AL taking five of the last six matchups and seven of the last 10 matchups since 2013. Teams who win Game 5 of the World Series have gone on to win the World Series 69 times (58.5%). Of the last 20 World Series that went at least five games, six of 20 teams have lost Game 5 and went on to win the World Series including: the 2021 Atlanta Braves, the 2019 Washington Nationals, the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals, the 2009 New York Yankees, the 2002 Anaheim Angels and the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks.

• The Diamondbacks are 2-3 all-time in Game 5 of a Postseason series, 1-2 in Game 5 of a best-of-seven series and 0-1 in Game 5 of the World Series after falling by a score of 3-2 in 12 innings during the 2001 World Series against the New York Yankees.
• This year Arizona lost Game 5 of the NLCS to the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1 to fall behind 3 games to two in the series.
• The Rangers are 2-5 all-time in Game 5 of a Postseason series, 1-4 in Game 4 of a best-of-seven series and 1-1 in Game 4 of the World Series… Previously Texas won 4-2 in Game 5 of the 2011 World Series over St. Louis and lost Game 5 of the 2010 World Series by a final score of 3-1 to the San Francisco Giants.
• This year, Texas lost Game 5 of the ALCS to the Houston Astros, 5-4.

TEXAS STARTER

Nathan Eovaldi
Age: 33 (2/13/1990)
Birthplace: Houston, TX
College: Alvin High School (TX)
Drafted: 11th Round in 2008 by LAD
2023 Regular Season: 12-5, 3.63 ERA
2023 Postseason: 4-0, 3.52 ERA

Postseason Performance
Eovaldi has made five starts this Postseason going 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA (12 ER/30.2 IP), 36 strikeouts and a 1.04 WHIP…Opponents are batting .231 with 27 hits and three home runs…Started Game 2 of the Wild Card Series at Tampa Bay, Game 3 of the ALDS against Baltimore, and Games 2 and 6 in the ALCS against Houston…Started Game 1 of the World Series in Texas’ extra-inning win…Earned a win in each of his first four starts this Postseason.

• 10/4 at TB: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO (98 pitches, 68 strikes)
• 10/9 vs. BAL: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO (98 pitches, 76 strikes)
• 10/16 at HOU: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO (91 pitches, 62 strikes)
• 10/21 at HOU: 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO (88 pitches, 51 strikes)
• 10/27 vs. AZ: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO (89 pitches, 57 strikes)

Against the Diamondbacks
Has not faced Arizona in regular season since 2016. Has made nine appearances against the D-backs with five starts including Game 1 of the World Series…Is 3-0 with a 3.65 ERA (15 ER/37.0 IP).

Regular Season
Went 12-5 with a 3.63 ERA (59 ER/144.0 IP), 132 strikeouts, a 1.14 WHIP, and a .225 opponents’ average in 25 starts…Tossed a shutout on April 29th against New York (AL), allowing just three hits with eight strikeouts…Threw a complete game again on May 23rd at Pittsburgh, allowing one run on six hits with five strikeouts…Struck out a season-high 12 batters on May 11th at Oakland, marking the seventh 10-strikeout game of his career

The Arsenal
Eovaldi relies on five pitches:

• 4-Seam Fastball – 37.2.3%, .234 opp. AVG
• Split Finger – 27.7%, .196 opp. AVG
• Cutter – 17.6%, .238 opp. AVG
• Curveball – 13.5%, .200 opp. AVG
• Slider – 4.0%, .303 opp. AVG

Career
Now in his 12th season in the Majors, Eovaldi has amassed a 79-73 career record with a 4.10 ERA… Drafted by the Dodgers in the 11th round of the 2008 First-Year Draft out of Alvin High School (TX)…Traded to the Marlins on July 25, 2012 along with RHP Scott McGough in exchange for SS Hanley Ramirez and RHP Randy Choate…Traded to the Yankees on Dec. 19, 2014 along with OF Garrett Jones and RHP Domingo German in exchange for RHP David Phelps and INF Martin Prado…Signed with the Rays as a Free Agent on Feb. 14, 2017… Traded to the Red Sox on July 25, 2018 in exchange for LHP Jalen Beeks…Signed with the Rangers as a Free Agent on Dec. 27, 2022. Made his Major League debut on Aug. 6, 2011 at Arizona, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on four hits as a member of the Dodgers…Earned his first career win in his first career start.

ARIZONA STARTER

Zac Gallen
@Zac_Gallen
Age: 28 (8/3/1995)
Birthplace: Somerdale, NJ
College: North Carolina
Drafted: 3rd Round in 2019 by STL
2023 Regular Season: 17-9, 3.47 ERA
2023 Postseason: 2-2, 5.27 ERA

Postseason Performance
Gallen has made five starts this Postseason going 2-2 with a 5.27 ERA, 18 strikeouts and a 1.50 WHIP…Opponents are batting .272 with 28 hits and six home runs…Started Game 2 of the Wild Card Series at Milwaukee, Game 2 of the NLDS at Los Angeles, and Games 1 and 5 in the NLCS against Philadelphia…Earned the win on 10/4 as the Diamondbacks clinched the Wild Card Series and again on 10/9 to gain a 2-0 lead in the NLDS… Took the loss in both of his starts during the NLCS… Started Game 1 of the World Series.

• 10/4 at MIL: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO (100 pitches, 66 strikes)
• 10/9 at LAD: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO (84 pitches, 53 strikes)
• 10/16 at PHI: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO (88 pitches, 51 strikes)
• 10/21 vs. PHI: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO (93 pitches, 55 strikes)
• 10/27 at TEX: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO (99 pitches, 61 strikes)

Against the Rangers
Will face Texas for the fifth time in his career and fourth time this season. Is 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA (10 ER/22.2 IP)…Took a no-decision on May 2 at Globe Life Field and took the win at home on August 22… Did not factor into the decision in Game 1 of the World Series.

Regular Season
Went 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA (81 ER/210.0 IP), 220 strikeouts, a 1.12 WHIP, and a .238 opponents’ average…Set career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts…Was named National League pitcher of the week on April 16th after going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts across two starts…Tossed a 3-hit shutout on September 8th at Chicago (NL)… It was the second shutout of his career after also going the distance in a 7.0 inning game at the Braves on April 25, 2021.

Show Me What You Got
Gallen relies on six pitches:

• 4-Seam Fastball – 49.3%, .237 opp. AVG
• Curveball – 22.7%, .210 opp. AVG
• Changeup – 13.9%, .210 opp. AVG
• Cutter – 10.3%, .333 opp. AVG
• Slider – 3.4%, .261 opp. AVG
• Sinker – 0.4%, .400 opp. AVG

Career
Now in his fifth season in the Majors, Gallen has amassed a 39-31 career record with a 3.21 ERA… Attended the University of North Carolina from 2014-2016…Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 2016 First-Year Draft… Traded to the Miami Marlins on December 12, 2017 with LHP Daniel Castano, OF Magneuris Sierra and RHP Sandy Alcantara in exchange for OF Marcell Ozuna…Traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 31, 2019 in exchange for infielder/outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr…Made his Major League debut on June 20, 2019 at St. Louis, tossing 5.0 innings… Earned his first career win on July 24, 2019 at Chicago (AL), tossing 7.0 scoreless innings.