The Texas Rangers blew out the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-7 on Tuesday night in Game 4 of the World Series. The Rangers now lead the best-of-seven series by a 3-1 margin, putting them one win from the World Series title and in prime position to secure the franchise's first championship. That celebration could occur as soon as Game 5, which is back at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wednesday night.
Both sides used bullpen-heavy approaches in Game 4. That approach worked out better for the Rangers than it did the Diamondbacks. Texas made all kinds of history throughout the contest, which was not as close as the final score indicates (the D-backs scored four in the eighth and two in the ninth). The Rangers scored five runs in both the second and third innings and led comfortably for the whole night. As such, in lieu of our typical takeaways format, you can scroll down to discover five stats worth knowing from the Rangers' emphatic victory.
If the Rangers do win the World Series, they can credit their performance on the road throughout the month of October. Game 4 represented Texas' 10th road playoff win in a row, the longest such streak in MLB playoff history.
Here are the five longest road playoff winning streaks of all-time, according to CBS Sports' research team:
Bear in mind, the Rangers started this postseason with four consecutive road games. Overall, they played six of their first seven playoff contests away from home. Factor in how they ended the season on a seven-game road trip, and the Rangers had to become comfortable with that commuter lifestyle if they wanted to make it to the playoffs, let alone make it within a win of a title.One way or another, Game 5 will represent the Rangers' final road game of the year. Either they'll win, both the contest and the title, or they'll lose and return home for what remains of the series.
The Rangers scored five runs in both the second and the third innings. In the process, they became the third team in World Series history with multiple five-run outbursts, joining the 1961 and 1936 New York Yankees. The Rangers, however, became the first to have their blitzes fall in consecutive innings, according to the research of MLB.com's Sarah Langs.
Here's arguably the darndest part of the Rangers' offensive flurries: every one of those runs was scored with two outs in the inning. It's not like the Diamondbacks would feel better about how the game turned out if the Rangers had poured it on with one or no outs in each frame. But two-out runs are particularly painful since they mean a team was a pitch away from escaping.
Rangers shortstop Corey Seager broke the game open in the second with a two-run blast off Kyle Nelson that extended Texas' lead to 5-0. Take a look:
Seager, who appeared to roll his ankle but stayed in the game, has now homered 19 times in his postseason career. That puts him one home run behind longtime Yankees icon Derek Jeter for the most by a shortstop in playoffs history.
Seager entered Game 4 having hit .167/.286/.667 with two home runs and four RBI in his first 12 at-bats. He's up to three home runs and six RBI now. Give him credit for making his hits count. It may end up being enough to win him the World Series Most Valuable Player Award for the second time in his career. Seager, who won the honor in 2020 with the Dodgers, is the favorite to win the award again in 2023 after Game 4.
Seager's double-play partner also got in on the historic act in Game 4.Semien notched two hits and drove in five runs, including three on a third-inning home run that stretched the Rangers' advantage to 10-0. Semien's five RBI tied the World Series record for the most by a leadoff hitter, joining Dan Gladden (1987) and Davey Lopes (1978).
Semien had been ice cold this postseason. Indeed, he entered Game 4 having hit .197/.264/.227 with no home runs and just 3 RBI in his first 15 games. The Rangers stuck by him, and on Tuesday he rewarded them in a big way.
What does a 3-1 advantage mean in a best-of-seven series? Very good things for the leader -- we know, we know, don't faint from surprise. According to the website WhoWins.com, MLB clubs have historically won about 85% of the best-of-seven series they've taken a 3-1 advantage in.
Think of it this way. Even if the Diamondbacks had a 70% chance at winning each of the next three contests -- and they don't -- their chances of winning all three would be just over 34%. You can understand if Rangers fans won't believe the franchise's first title until they see it. Likewise, you can understand if Diamondbacks fans want to hold out hope of something miraculous happening.
For those wondering, there have been six previous World Series where teams overcame a 3-1 deficit to win the entire thing. It's happened twice since 1980: the 1985 Kansas City Royals (over the St. Louis Cardinals) and the 2016 Chicago Cubs (over the now-Cleveland Guardians). Will the Diamondbacks join that group? We can safely say not if they play like they did in Game 4.
This game was over in the third inning. The Rangers lead the series 3-1 and are one win away from the first World Series title in franchise history. Game 5 is tomorrow night. Nathan Eovaldi vs. Zac Gallen. For the D-backs to have any chance at a comeback, they will need Gallen to go out and dominate in Game 5.
Smith bounced back to fan Marte and Carroll. The D-backs are down to their final out.
Hindsight is 20/20 but only using Dane Dunning for one inning now looks like a very bad move.
Perdomo's hitting streak is quietly up to eight games. The top of the lineup is coming now. Hmmm.
Rangers closer Jose Leclerc is now up and throwing, which is a very, very, very mild win for the D-backs.
It's now the top of the order coming up with two on and no out. Just keep avoiding outs and you never know.
Lawlar went from 0-2 to a walk. Even with the lopsided score, impressive at-bat for the rookie in the World Series.
The D-backs have a runner aboard and the crowd is fired up for a possible miracle.
For the third time this series, the D-backs pinch-hit Pavin Smith, the Rangers countered with a lefty reliever, and the D-backs then pinch-hit a righty for Smith. Smith has pinch-hit three times in the World Series but has zero plate appearances. He's been immediately pulled for a pinch-hitter all three times.
He's making a pitching change after Stratton already did warmups. It'll be Will Smith.
Six earned runs in one inning would be a 54.00 ERA. He only needs to pitch to a 45.00 ERA to close down Game 4.
Chris Stratton retakes the mound for the Rangers. He's tasked with getting three outs before allowing six runs, which any MLB pitcher should be able to do against any lineup. At least in theory.
A challenge! I gets it's the World Series ... but come on. You're down 11-5 in the ninth.
As a huge proponent of the pace of play initiatives, I'd like to point out that Torey Lovullo's mid-inning pitching changes are out of control and need to be stopped.
Something must be wrong with him since he didn't get it over the fence.
Paul O'Neill, who played 17 years in the big leagues and currently broadcasts Yankees games, says scoring some runs at the end of a blowout loss has a carryover effect and gets you started out right the next game. The D-backs have to hope that's true here.
The Rangers are incredibly likely to win the game, but the D-backs fans here at least got a thrill in the eighth.
Home run. It's 11-5 Rangers after a Gurriel home run:
It's now 11-2. The D-backs' two runs this game both came via the sac fly. Maybe hit those over the fence and it's interesting.
He's a home run threat, for sure. That would chop the lead to 11-5.
The bases are now loaded for Tommy Pham and here comes Bruce Bochy to bring in Chris Stratton.
Maybe these singles get Carroll and Moreno going again. Maybe it forces the Rangers to use another reliever or two. Either way, there is a small sign of life here. Rangers still up 11-1.
Corbin Carroll and Gabriel Moreno single and here comes Christian Walker. Chris Stratton is in a firedrill in the Rangers bullpen.
Credit the crowd that has remained at the game. I've never heard a crowd cheer so loud for singles when its team is down by 10.
The D-backs have six outs to play with.
Heim time. Jonah goes deep for his first hit of the World Series. The Rangers are six outs away from a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Announced attendance is 48, 388. I can attest that there are definitely not that many people still here.
We're getting dangerously close to a conversation about sig figs.
That could've been ugly. Fortunately it looks like both avoided injury.
So much for that four-inning save idea. Dunning is out after one inning. Cody Bradford is in. Basic win probability has the Rangers with a 100% chance to win Game 4, though it's probably really 99.998% or so rounded up.
