Texas' Come From Behind Bid Comes Up Short

The Texas Rangers came into game five of the ALCS, with a commanding 3-1 lead. The Tigers sent their ace pitcher Justin Verlander to the mound to try to keep the Tigers in the series. Justin Verlander is the best pitcher in the American League, if not in all of baseball. The Rangers sent their ace pitcher C.J. Wilson to the mound to try to close out the series with the Tigers. C.J. Wilson has not pitched to his capabilities this postseason. Like the previous games in the ALCS, you knew that game five was going to be just as intense. The Tigers in a must win situation and the Rangers wanting to close out the series. To win their second consecutive American League Championship and go to their second consecutive World Series.

Texas started off the scoring in the first inning, when Ian Kinsler led the game off with a double. Elvis Andrus battled at the plate against Justin Verlander, before hitting a ground ball to second baseman Ramon Santiago, to move Kinsler over to third base. Josh Hamilton battled Justin Verlander before hitting a sacrifice fly to center fielder Austin Jackson, to score Ian Kinsler. C.J. Wilson looked strong the first two innings getting all six batters he faced. The start of the third inning C.J. Wilson struck out Brandon Inge looking, before he gave up the solo home-run to struggling eighth place hitter Alex Avila to tie the game 1-1. The Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, when Delmon Young homered to center field to make the score 2-1. As you would expect the Rangers came back in the fifth inning to tie the game 2-2, when Ian Kinsler walked and Elvis Andrus singled to left field. Josh Hamilton singled to center field to score Ian Kinsler. The Rangers Elvis Andrus on third base and Josh Hamilton on first base, Adrian Beltre's line drive shot was inches foul, that would have given the Rangers a 5-2 lead. However, Adrian Beltre ended up flying out to center field.

The Rangers blew a great opportunity in the sixth inning to open the game up. Texas had the bases loaded with one out. Ian Kinsler stepped up to the plate and hit the first pitch he saw to third baseman Brandon Inge, who turned an inning ending double play. The Tigers' Ryan Raburn starts the inning off, by hitting a single to left field, then Miguel Cabrera hit a line drive down the third base line that hit the bag, that went over Adrian Beltre's head into the left field corner for a double. Ryan Raburn scored the go ahead run to make it 3-2. The Tigers added on to their lead, when Victor Martinez tripled to right field, to score Miguel Cabrera to take a 4-2 lead. Delmon Young hit his second home-run of the game, when he hit a two run shot to left-center field to cap off a four run inning, to give the Tigers a 6-2 lead. The Rangers went down in order in their half of the seventh inning. Detroits' Ryan Raburn added one more run, when he hit a solo shot to right-center field off of Koji Uehara, to give the Tigers a five run lead at 7-2.

The Rangers still kept battling though, when Mike Napoli hit a line drive single to left field, then Nellie Cruz hit a two run home-run to left field to cut the Tigers lead to 7-4. The Rangers managed to stop the Tigers scoring, by setting them down in order. The Rangers are a team that battles to the very end, with two outs Josh Hamilton doubled to center field, then Michael Young singled to right field to score Hamilton to cut the lead to 7-5. Adrian Beltre walks to send the lead run at the plate in Mike Napoli. Napoli hit a soft grounder to second baseman Ramon Santiago, who flipped the ball to shortstop Johnny Paralta to end the game.

"The turning point of the game was when the Rangers' Adrian Beltre's bid for a three run home-run to take a 5-2 in the fifth inning, just foul. However, the Rangers had another chance to score runs in their half of the sixth, until Ian Kinsler hit into an inning ending double play."

"The Tigers took advantage of an unusual play, when Miguel Cabrera hit a line drive down the third base line when the ball hit the bag and over the head of Adrian Beltre, for a double to score Ryan Raburn."

The ALCS, has been a matter of inches or a matter of plays. The Rangers and Tigers are both equally dangerous on offense. However, for the most part, runs have been hard to come by. All the games in the series have been pitching duels. What a series this has been, and still game six and a possible game seven.

"The Rangers are in the same position as last year, going home with a 3-2 lead. Texas has had their backs against the wall before, but have come out on top. They proved that in game four, when they produced a four run inning to defeat theTigers 7-3."

"RANGERS LOOK TO CELEBRATE A CONSECUTIVE ALCS TITLE, SATURDAY NIGHT!"