Texas Rangers' Neftali Feliz and Mike Napoli celebrate. Photo / AP
Texas' Mike Napoli hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning as the Rangers came from two runs down to beat the St Louis Cardinals 4-2 yesterday and take a 3-2 lead in baseball's World Series.
Solo home runs by Mitch Moreland in the third and Adrian Beltre in the sixth brought Texas level. Michael Young doubled leading off the eighth and Napoli hit a drive to right centre of Marc Rzepczynski to bring in two runs.
Texas closer Neftali Feliz closed it out in the ninth, including striking out Albert Pujols as part of a double play when Allen Craig was caught by Napoli's throw trying to steal second.
The win moved Texas within one win of their first World Series title.
The series moves back to St Louis for Game Six tomorrow, when Colby Lewis will be the Rangers' starting pitcher, against Jaime Garcia for the Cardinals.
It was 2-2 when Texas put runners on first and second with one out in the eighth, and Rzepczynski was summoned from the bullpen.
Texas batter David Murphy followed with a bouncer back to the mound, a possible innings-ending double play in the making.
Rzepczynski snatched at it but was unable to glove it, succeeding only in redirecting it away from his second baseman.
Napoli had a role in the final play. Lance Berkman struck out and the ball hit Napoli's shin guard and trickled up the first base line, where the catcher picked it up and tossed to first base to end the game.
- AP
No comments:
Post a Comment