In his previous 5 video games, Adolis Garcia has six house runs and 15 RBI. That’s greater than the mixed totals for Tampa, Miami, Toronto, and Milwaukee this postseason (10 runs, 1 dinger). It’s greater than what the Dodgers and Braves collectively may muster within the NLDS (13 runs, 4 homers), and tops the 101-win Orioles’ 2023 playoff manufacturing (11 runs, 4 house runs). And who is aware of when Garcia will cease levitating, as a result of it’ll be arduous to carry him again all the way down to earth after his heroics in Recreation 1 of the World Sequence on Friday.
The Texas Rangers overcame a 5-3 ninth-inning deficit by way of a Corey Seager two-run shot earlier than Garcia put himself — and the opening sport — firmly within the annals of postseason historical past within the backside of the eleventh for a 6-5 win. It was the seventeenth walkoff in World Sequence historical past, the primary since 2018, and the second in Rangers’ historical past. (Nelson Cruz ended Recreation 2 of the 2011 Fall Basic with a walkoff grand slam.)
Some will query Torey Lovullo’s determination to pitch to Garcia, and that may be truthful as a result of Garcia is wielding Excalibur prefer it’s a Wiffle ball bat. I do know there was one away, no person on, and it appears foolish to deliberately stroll the primary batter following a pitching change, however come on.
The ALCS MVP has been stirring the Rangers’ drinks all October, and as quickly because the depend ran to 3-1, I don’t need the following pitch anyplace close to the zone.
To be trustworthy, Miguel Castro didn’t even make that egregious of a mistake; it was a sinker within the decrease third of the strike zone, and, as John Smoltz identified on the published, Garcia simply occurred to hit the ball precisely the place it was pitched. In comparison with the no doubters the 30-year-old has put into orbit lately, the alternative area walkoff was tame.
After all it wasn’t, as a result of it referred to as sport, however Texas followers beckoned the oppo shot over the fitting area wall as a lot as Garcia.
It’s at all times superb when a slugger will get on a heater. Hitting a baseball is perhaps probably the most troublesome process in sports activities, but when somebody with Adolis Garcia’s expertise is seeing all the pieces, opposing managers, pitchers and followers detest every at bat. You recognize they’re muttering, “This man? Once more?” below their breath as he’s strolling into the field, with the joviality of Mario storming Bowser’s fortress.
“Hey, itsa me, Adolis!”
