Texas Rangers Ride Rookie Duo Again, Take ALDS Game 1 Over Baltimore Orioles

Texas Rangers win ALDS Game 1 opener against Baltimore Orioles behind more clutch play from rookies Evan Carter and Josh Jung.

BALTIMORE — The Texas Rangers' dynamic rookie duo kept their fountain of youth going Saturday at Camden Yards.

Evan Carter and Josh Jung each drove in a run, along with Jonah Heim, to lead the Rangers over the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 in Game 1 of the ALDS.

The Rangers will try to take a 2-0 edge in the best-of-5 series in Game 2 at 2:07 p.m. Sunday. Game 3 is set for 7:07 p.m. Tuesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

Adolis Garcia doubled to the left-field corner and Carter followed with a run-scoring double to the right-field corner to give the Ranger a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Heim's run-scoring single drove in Carter to make it 2-0. Nathaniel Lowe and Leody Taveras singled to load the bases but Marcus Semien struck out to end the threat.

Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish struck out seven and allowed six hits and a walk over the first four innings. He finished with nine strikeouts while allowing two runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Andrew Heaney was very good through 3 2/3 innings. He held the Orioles to a run on two hits before Dane Dunning came in to face Aaron Hicks with the tying run on second base. After a walk, Dunning got pinch-hitter Adam Frazier to pop out to first to end the threat and hold the 2-1 lead.

After a lead-off infield single by Corey Seager in the fifth, Bradish struck out Grossman and Garcia. With Carter due up, Bradish was replaced by left-hander Danny Coulombe. Carter walked, but Jonah Heim grounded out to strand the two baserunners.

Jung homered in the sixth to push Texas' lead to 3-1.

In the bottom of the inning, however, Anthony Santander homered to get the run back and pull Baltimore to within 3-2. That chased Dunning from the game for Will Smith.

Will Smith finished the sixth for Dunning with the bases empty and two outs. Smith struck out Gunnar Henderson to end the inning.

Josh Sborz and Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings, and Jose Leclerc earned the save with a scoreless ninth.

But it all wasn't that smooth. Sborz walked the lead-off hitter in the seventh before retiring the next three batters, including two strikeouts. Chapman walked the first two batters in the eighth, but Josh Jung started a 5-4-3 double play to help him get out of the jam. Chapman struck out Ryan Mountcastle on a 101.4 mph 2-2 pitch to strand the tying run at third.

In the ninth, Henderson led off with a single against Leclerc. Heim noticed Henderson's big lead off first and threw to Nathaniel Lowe. That didn't stop Henderson from attempting to steal second and Heim threw a strike to Semien to get the first out of the inning. Leclerc finished off the Orioles with a strikeout of Aaron Hicks and inducing a groundout to third.

Rangers 3, Orioles 2

Here are the key takeaways from Game 1 at Camden Yards:

Evan Carter Making History

According to Stathead, rookie outfielder Evan Carter is the first player in MLB history to have an extra-base hit, walk, and run scored in each of his first 3 career postseason games.

Delayed Gratification

Saturday's Game 1 was delayed an hour and 13 minutes because of a light drizzle. The first pitch wasn't until 1:16 p.m. (CT). By then, the clouds had left and the sun was shining with the temperature at a near-perfect 64 degrees. 

Baltimore's Bikini-Clad Streaker

During the top of the eighth, a short adult man wearing bikini briefs streaked onto the field at Camden Yards before security tackled him in left field. It took nearly 10 minutes for the man to be escorted off the field, which required police to take him through an exit near home plate.

Short man on bikini banana hammock runs onto field, arrested. #orioles #ALDS pic.twitter.com/33irECTzoN

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) October 7, 2023

Up Next

Left-hander Jordan Montgomery faces Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez in Game 2 at 3:07 p.m. Sunday.

The rook playing like a seasoned vet. #GoAndTakeIt pic.twitter.com/htBMiW7z14

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) October 7, 2023

Scherzer Nearly Ready, Remains ALDS Option

You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.

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