DeShields took second on a groundout to short by right fielder Shin Soo-Choo and scored in a single to center by third baseman Adrian Beltre. Beltre, who left the game after the single with back issues, was the only player with previous postseason experience to have a hit for the Rangers.
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“But we’re ready, ready for two games, then we gotta go back home and get a few turkey in us”, Smith said, adding Tim Hortons iced cappuccinos are keeping him alive. In the seventh, Odor hit a homer. And with the Rangers’ bullpen fully rested, it qualifies as a quality start.
Price hit Odor again to open the fifth and Chirinos dropped a ball just over the left-centre fence to up the lead to 4-1.
Right-hander Sam Dyson closed the game out in the ninth.
Toronto certainly has the better all-around team, but the Rangers were one of the hottest teams in baseball down the stretch of the season.
The arms: RHP Yovani Gallardo did not allow a baserunner in his first turn through the Toronto order…. Toronto won the season series against Texas, and the Blue Jays get to pitch David Price in Game 1.
The contest featured a matchup of the two highest-scoring teams in baseball since the all-star break (405 runs for Toronto, 381 for Texas). RHP Keone Kela allowed a run for the first time since July 30 when Jose Bautista homered…. Donaldson broke up the double play at second, losing his batting helmet and grimacing as he got up. OF Josh Hamilton was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, extending his postseason slump to 24 hitless at-bats since Game 7 of the 2011 World Series….
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Donaldson felt light-headed while playing defense in the top of the fifth, forcing the AL MVP candidate to come out of the game. Texas is American League West champions and I can’t wait to get home from school today so I can watch the Rangers – in the playoffs! 2B Rougned Odor made great plays on grounders that he had to charge and another that had him going backward away from first base.
Price hit Odor with a pitch for the second straight at-bat, and Chirinos homered for a 4-1 lead.
Price walked two batters in the first inning but escaped with a double play. Beltre was removed shortly after picking up the RBI single.
Toronto said Donaldson, dinged in the head by Odor’s knee in breaking up a double play, had cleared the concussion protocol and would be evaluated Friday.
One hitter later, Edwin Encarnacion nearly repeated the feat but his blast went just foul. Rangers 2, Toronto 1.
Back in 2010, the Rangers made it all the way to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. Robinson Chirinos followed with a homer.
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Russell Martin, the Jays’ Canadian catcher, called the atmosphere “awesome”.
