BALTIMORE — The hated Texas bullpen had to hold onto a tiny lead in the last innings for the first time this postseason.
José Leclerc, Josh Sborz, and Aroldis Chapman swayed but did not fall.
In Game 1 of their AL Division Series on Saturday, the Texas Rangers defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 despite nervous moments as Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning drove the team into the sixth inning.
“The bullpen performed admirably,” manager Bruce Bochy remarked. “Had some bumps, but managed to get through it.”
Texas, already 3-0 in these playoffs, benefited from a home run and a smart play by Josh Jung at third base that set up a crucial double play.
Camden Yards will host Game 2 of the best-of-five series on Sunday.
The wild-card Rangers entered the postseason without Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, and with a bullpen that was widely seen as a weak link. The Rangers had led the AL West for the majority of the season before losing the division title on the last weekend. However, in their three games against the Rays and Orioles, they have only given up three runs.
Texas defeated the Rays 11-1 to sweep the series in the Wild Card Series versus Tampa Bay, so the final innings weren’t too tense. Against the Orioles, the conclusion was even more tense.
In 3 2/3 innings, Heaney limited Baltimore to one run and two hits. After replacing him, Dunning won after pitching two innings while giving up a run in the sixth. The final ten outs were shared by Will Smith, Sborz, Chapman, and Leclerc, but not without some drama.
Sborz pitched around a leadoff walk but then proceeded to throw seven balls in a row to begin the seventh. In the seventh, Chapman walked the first two hitters before Jung, in a 5-4-3 double play, ranged to his left and caught Anthony Santander’s high bouncer on a short hop. The inning was subsequently ended by Chapman striking out Ryan Mountcastle with a runner on third.
Despite allowing Gunnar Henderson to get a leadoff single in the ninth inning, Leclerc was credited with the save. Henderson attempted to steal second base, but All-Star catcher Jonah Heim threw him out, preventing the Orioles from getting any more runners on base.
In the dugout, Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde didn’t seem to be pleased with Henderson’s decision to leave.
There was a small misunderstanding there, Hyde said.
For the Orioles, Kyle Bradish struck out nine batters in four and a third innings, but he gave up two runs in the fourth to lose the game. In the sixth, Santander and Jung swapped single home runs.
DeGrom has been absent from Texas for some time, and Scherzer’s shoulder issues, which have prevented him from playing since mid-September, forced the Rangers to leave him off their ALDS squad on Saturday. But the Rangers’ pitching has held up thus far.
In the Wild Card Series, Jordan Montgomery and Nathan Eovaldi held the Rays at bay before the Heaney-Dunning combination gave the Rangers another opportunity to win.
The Orioles finished the season with 101 victories and a division title, but the AL East has had a difficult start to the postseason. After losing its opening round matchup with Tampa Bay and Toronto, Baltimore is now behind.
The national anthem was sung by devoted fan Joan Jett, and former Orioles star Adam Jones threw out the first pitch in front of an orange-clad crowd for the first playoff game to be held at Camden Yards since 2014. Bradish kept the celebration going with five strikeouts in the first two innings following a 73-minute rain delay at the beginning of the game.
In the fourth, Texas took a 1-0 lead thanks to consecutive doubles from Evan Carter and Adolis García, followed by an RBI single from Heim.
Within his first three postseason games, Carter, 21, collected four extra-base hits, making him the youngest player in major league history.
In the bottom of the inning, Mountcastle gave the Orioles a run-scoring double, but Dunning entered and preserved the advantage.
In the seventh, with Texas holding a 3-2 lead, Sborz walked Aaron Hicks in the lead off spot after four pitches. Then, after trailing 3-0, the right-hander rallied to retire Adam Frazier on a flyball.
To conclude the inning, Sborz struck out Ryan O’Hearn, a pinch hitter, and Cedric Mullins.
“I believe we react well,” Hyde remarked. All we have to do is make a few early runs. Had a hard time type of scoring early, even in the final week or two of the season. If we can try to get a few runs across early, that relieves a lot of burden on the mound and on themselves.
A chance to open up the game for the Rangers was lost. They had loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth after scoring two runs, but Bradish struck out Marcus Semien to end the inning. Texas left a total of ten runners on base.
REVERSAL OF ROLE
In one-run games during the regular season, the Orioles (30-16) were among the best teams, and the Rangers (14-22) were among the worst. But in this one, Texas won.
By batting, the Orioles also lead the major leagues.287 with runners in scoring position, indicating that a regression in that area would spell difficulties for them. Saturday, they had a 0 for 4 record.
Adley Rutschman, one of the best young catchers in the game, and Henderson, the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year, were both on Baltimore’s roster going into the series, but it was Texas catcher Heim who had a big hit and a crucial throw. Important runs were also driven in by Carter and Jung, two rookies from Texas.
Carter, according to Jung, “has just been a dude ever since he got here.” “I’ve never seen someone come up here and not chase pitches around the zone—to be 21 years old coming in and be stone cold at the plate.”
SCHOLAR’S ROOM
Rangers: Despite facing hitters during Friday’s session, Scherzer is still not playing for Texas in this series. It was September 12 when he last pitched.
Orioles: Due to elbow pain, Baltimore was forced to withdraw LHP John Means from the roster. Means was a potential starter for Game 3.
Next up
Starting for the Rangers in Game 2 against rookie Grayson Rodriguez of Baltimore will be Montgomery. Against the Rays in the previous round, Montgomery threw seven scoreless innings. Following the All-Star break, Rodriguez has a 2.58 ERA.