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Texas Rangers Strike Late To Stun Arizona Diamondbacks in World Series Opener

Texas Rangers sluggers Corey Seager and Adolis Garcia homered in the ninth and 11th innings to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series opener.

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Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers
Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
Corey SeagerKetel MarteMarcus SemienAdolis Garcia

ARLINGTON, Texas — Corey Seager sent it to extra innings, and Adolis Garcia sent it home.

Garcia's game-winning, walk-off home run in the 11th inning gave the Texas Rangers a remarkable, come-from-behind 6-5 victory in Game 1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night at Globe Life Field.

Garcia's opposite-field solo homer to right field came on a 3-1 sinker in the bottom of the zone from reliever Miguel Castro.

Seager ripped the first pitch he saw in the ninth inning for a game-tying, two-run homer to send Game 1 to extra innings.

"It's harder to hit a bigger homer than he did there," Texas manager Bruce Bochy said of Seager.

Garcia may have something to say about that.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set for 7:03 p.m. Saturday in Arlington before it moves to Chase Field in Phoenix for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Monday. Game 5, if necessary, is scheduled for Tuesday at Chase Field.

Jose Leclerc pitched two scoreless innings of relief to cap a brilliant night for the Rangers bullpen. Leclerc and four others combined for 6 2/3 innings of scoreless relief behind starter Nathan Eovaldi.

The Rangers jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Evan Carter's RBI double and Adolis Garcia's RBI single in the first inning against Arizona start Zac Gallen.

After retiring the first six batters, Eovaldi had to work through a mess of baserunners in the third. The D-backs rallied to claim a 3-2 lead in the inning. The first three D-backs reached with singles ahead of Corbin Carroll's two-run triple to center field. Carroll scored on Ketel Marte's grounder to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, whose throw home was wide.

Mitch Garver's bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the inning tied it back up at 3-3.
Tommy Pham's solo homer in the fourth reclaimed a 4-3 lead for Arizona. The D-Backs added another run in the fifth after Geraldo Perdomo led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Marte's double to right-center field.

The Rangers had two runners on in the sixth and eighth innings but Leody Taveras fouled out to end the sixth and Josh Jung grounded out to end the eighth. Jung and fellow rookie Evan Carter had four of the Rangers' six hits. Garcia had the other two.

The rest of the Rangers' lineup was 0-for-19 before Corey Seager's game-tying, two-run homer in the ninth.

Garcia has eight home runs in the postseason.

World Series Game 1: Rangers 6, Diamondbacks 5 (11)

Here are the key takeaways from World Series Game 1 Friday night at Globe Life Field:

Adolis Garcia: Postseason RBI King

Adolis Garcia's first-inning RBI and 11th-inning RBI on Friday are his 22nd RBI in the postseason,  the most in a single postseason. Garcia has 22 RBIs in 13 games, overtaking David Freese's record of 21 in 18 games for the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals. And that's all we'll say about that.

Garcia has an RBI in seven consecutive postseason games, which is tied for the second-longest streak in a single postseason. Only the Phillies' Ryan Howard had a longer streak of eight games.

Walk This Way

Corey Seager walked in his first two plate appearances Friday night. His 14 postseason walks is tied for the Rangers' all-time lead with Ian Kinsler in 2011.

Historic World Series Debut For D-Backs' Corbin Carroll

Diamondbacks' right fielder Corbin Carroll became the eighth player ever with a triple and two RBI in his first-career World Series game with his two-run triple to center in the third inning. He's the first to accomplish the feat since the Cardinals' Curt Flood in 1964.

Runnin' D-backs

The Rangers allowed four stolen bases combined over 12 games against the Astros, Orioles and Rays in the postseason. In Game 1 of the World Series, the Diamondbacks had three stolen bases in the first five innings. Arizona has a postseason-best 19 stolen bases and has been caught three times.

Arizona has four stolen bases in four postseason games in 2023, the most by a team in a single postseason. They're also the first team with three consecutive games with four or more stolen bases, according to MLB communication.

Marte Keeps It Going

Ketel Marte tied the MLB record with a hit in his 17th consecutive postseason game.
The others to do it: the Yankees' Hank Bauer (1956-58), the Yankees' Derek Jeter (1998-99) and Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez (2003-04).

Up Next

Rangers left-hander Jordan Montgomery faces right-hander Merrill Kelly in Game 2 at 7:03 p.m. Saturday at Globe Life Field.

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Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is famously stoic on the field and doesn't enjoy doing media interviews. But his emotions exploded after a first-inning home run in the Game 7 of thE ALCS that shocked his teammates.

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You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.

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