The Texas Rangers won Game 1 of the division series thanks to the surprising performance of a rookie player. Korean pitcher Dane Dunning earned a relief win.
The Texas Rangers won 3-2 in the first game of the American League Division Series (best of 5) against the Baltimore Orioles in the 2023 Major League Postseason held at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland, USA on the 8th (Korean time).
A match between Texas, who defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card Series, and Baltimore, who advanced straight to the Division Series by winning the Eastern Division (101 wins, 61 losses).
It was Texas’ charge from the start. After one out in the fourth inning, Adolis Garcia opened the scoring with a double, while Evan Carter, a rookie born in 2002, hit a one-run double and Jonah Haim hit a timely hit with one RBI, leading the team to 2-0.안전놀이터
Texas then continued the opportunity to load the bases with two outs thanks to hits by Nathaniel Rowe and Leody Taveras, but Marcus Semien swallowed his disappointment with a missed swing and a strikeout.
Baltimore counterattacked immediately in the fourth inning. After Anthony Santander’s walk with one out, Ryan Mountcastle hit a one-run double in pursuit.
Texas did not stand still. With one out and no runner on base in the sixth inning, Josh Young hit a solo home run against replaced pitcher Jacob Webb. In 1B-1S, he hit Webb’s 3rd pitch, a 95 mph (152 km) four-seam fastball, and went over the center fence. It was the moment that sealed the victory.
Baltimore trailed by one point again with Santander’s solo home run in the sixth inning with one out. Santander watched Texas’ Korean pitcher Dane Dunning’s first pitch strike and then hit an 87.4 mph (140 km) changeup on the second pitch that went over the right-center wall.
However, it was not enough to tie the score. Chances of reaching first base with no outs in the 7th inning and 1st and 2nd bases with no outs in the 8th were all canceled due to a missed follow-up hit, and in the 9th inning, leadoff Gunner Henderson got on base with a hit to right, but was disappointed due to a failed steal.
For Texas, starter Andrew Heaney retired with 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and 1 run in 3⅔ innings, while Dunning reported a relief win with 2 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and 1 run in 2 innings. In the batting lineup, 21-year-old rookie Carter led the division series lead with 1 hit, 1 RBI, 2 walks, and 1 run in 2 at-bats.
On the other hand, Baltimore starter Kyle Bradish became the losing pitcher with 7 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts, and 2 runs in 4⅔ innings. Santander’s performance of 2 hits in 3 at-bats (1 home run), 1 RBI, 1 walk, and 2 runs was overshadowed by the loss.
The two teams will play the second game of the division series at the same venue on the 9th. It was announced that Jordan Montgomery (Texas) and Grayson Rodriguez (Baltimore) would face off as starters.