It almost seemed that it was over before it started. The Texas Rangers' homecoming to an Arlington stadium full of their rowdy fans and a Colby Lewis gem finally put an end to the Yankees' hopes of defending their World Series title.
Unlike Game 5 back in New York, the Yankees didn't have their ace C.C. Sabathia on the mound. Instead, they were relying on a young and relatively inexperience Phil Hughes who had already taken the Game 2 loss when he gave up seven earned runs in only four innings of work.
Even with Cliff Lee awaiting the game 7 start on Saturday night, the Texas Rangers had no intentions of letting it get that far if they could help it. They refused to be intimidated by the rich history of the New York Yankees franchise that includes 27 World Series titles. All that postseason experience and $200 million payroll of the Yankees—all, but irrelevant according to the Rangers' Michael Young.
The Yankees tried their best to sound as though they weren't concerned.
Alex Rodriguez was quoted as saying, "It's great. Any time you're playing for your life, these [games] are life or death, literally."
Regardless of how you feel about his choice of words, he certainly didn't sound too worried.
Derek Jeter also refused to panic. "You try to win one game, that’s all you can do. We have a lot of confidence in ourselves, just like I’m sure they have confidence in their team."
Unfortunately for the Bronx Bombers, their confidence and refusal to panic was not nearly enough to defeat an inspired Texas Rangers team looking for their first World Series berth.
Too bad for the New York Yankees that experience and confidence don't always equate to victories.
Colby Lewis pitched an incredible game where he went eight full innings and gave up only one earned run when Alex Rodriguez scored on a questionable wild pitch that appeared to hit Nick Swisher in the foot.
In the end, that run proved to mean very little.
The Rangers' offense kept up their impressive output by scoring six runs, including a four run fifth inning that blew the game wide open. In a game where the powerful Yankee offense could only muster three hits, there was little chance for a Yankee comeback.
This young and inspired Rangers team made the Yankees look old and weary. Alex Rodriguez once again fell back to his old ways and ended the series batting an unimpressive .158.
It was only fitting that he would be retired for the final out in the ninth inning to end the Yankees' season.
From Game 1 up until that final out that resulted in a 6-1 Texas victory, the 2010 Texas Rangers played an incredibly inspired brand of baseball. They looked like anything, but a team chasing their first American League pennant.
Although it took the Rangers six games to put away the Yankees, the series was dominated throughout by this scrappy Texas team. With the exception of one inning in Game 1 and the Yankees' Game 5 victory, Texas made the Yankees' high priced team look like anything, but the defending World champions.
In a season that began in turmoil, a scandal involving manager Ron Washington and bankruptcy, the Texas Rangers are going to the World Series for the first time since their inception as the Washington Senators in 1961.
Good luck to the winner of the NLCS between the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants. They're certainly going to need it.
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