(Phoenix) The Texas Rangers scored 10 runs in the first three innings to cruise to an 11-7 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday in Game 4 of the World Series, played in Phoenix.
The Rangers lead the series 3-1 and could win the big honors on Wednesday, in the fifth game. The Rangers have never won the World Series.
It was a 10e consecutive road victory for the Rangers during the current playoffs.
Marcus Semien led the charge for the Rangers with a two-run triple and a three-run homer.
Andrew Heaney limited the Diamondbacks to one run in the first five innings before seeing the Rangers’ relief let the opponent get back into the game late in the game.
For his part, Diamondbacks starter Joe Mantiply worked for an inning and a third, even if he allowed only one run on a hit and a walk.
Miguel Castro took his place on the mound in the second, when the Rangers got the ball rolling.
After a second out in the inning, Castro made a bad throw and Josh Jung took advantage of it to score from third base.
Leody Taveras drew a walk and Travis Jankowski singled to put two players in scoring position for the Rangers. Semien didn’t waste the opportunity with an excellent hit to left field, to the edge of the field, for a triple that made it 3-0.
Corey Seager then added two more runs for the Rangers with a home run against Kyle Nelson, who had just come to the mound.
In the third, the Rangers loaded the bases with one out. Luis Frias, however, struck out Taveras, but Jankowski hit a double good for two points which made the score 7-0.
As if that wasn’t enough, Semien added right away, with a three-run homer, to give the Rangers a second straight five-run inning.
The Diamondbacks got their first real chance to score in the bottom of the fourth inning, with players on second and third base. They had to settle for just one point, when Gabriel Moreno scored on a sacrifice fly from Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Jonah Heim homered in the eighth to give the Rangers their first run since the third inning.
The Diamondbacks made things interesting with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Christian Walker hit a third straight single for the Diamondbacks to load the bases with one out. Pitcher Cody Bradford gave way to Chris Stratton after Walker’s single.
Tommy Pham’s sacrifice fly added a point. From the next batter, Gurriel Jr. slammed a Stratton shot into the stands for three more points and cut the gap to 11-5.
The Diamondbacks came back to attack in the bottom of the ninth. Will Smith allowed the first two batters to reach, before striking out the next two batters. José Leclerc replaced him on the mound and immediately allowed a two-run single to Moreno, which reduced the gap to 11-7.
Leclerc finally ended the game by forcing Walker to hit a ball to first base, in foul territory.
Shortly before the start of the game, the Rangers announced that slugger Adolis García and pitcher Max Scherzer would miss the remainder of the World Series after being injured in Game 3.
Ezequiel Duran and left-hander Brock Burke were added to the lineup.
García was named the American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player. He had a .323 batting average in the playoffs, with eight home runs and a major league record for RBIs, with 22. García hit the game-winning homer in 11e inning in Game 1 of the World Series, in a 6-5 victory.