Starting pitchers in the game, which started at 12:08 PM (local time), were righthander Yu Darvish (Texas) and lefthander J.A. Happ.
The 30-year old Darvish was 7-5 this season with 132 strikeouts in 100 1/3 inning and today, he made his second postseason start in his career.
The last one was in the 2012 Wild Card-game against the Baltimore Orioles in which he was the losing pitcher.
The Japanese righthander didn't face the Blue Jays this season.
The last time that Darvish pitched against Toronto was in 2014 when he started twice against the Canadian squad and was 1-1.
This season, his 11.84 strikeouts-per-nine-innings average was the best in the American League and the second-best in the Majors.
The best average was 12.49, which was acccomplished by Miami Marlins-pitcher José Fernández, who passed away on September 25 in a boating accident at age 24.
The 33-year old Happ was 20-4 this season with a 3.18 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 195 innings pitched.
It was the first time in his career that Happ won 20 games in a season.
Today was his ninth appearance in a postseason-game, but only his second start.
He threw his previous eight games for Philadelphia Phillies (2008-2009).
This season, Happ faced the Rangers only once, which was on May 5 and he then was the winning pitcher.
On a cloudy and misty day with some drizzling rain, Texas Rangers got into scoring position in each of the first three innings, but was unable to score.
Toronto opened the score in the second at bat.
Texas then got on the board for the first time in the fourth inning.
After Toronto was retired in order in the top of the first inning, Texas got two baserunners in its first at bat.
With two outs, Carlos Beltran singled and Adrian Beltre walked, but both were left behind.
...Home Plate Umpire Lance Barksdale...
...was behind the plate in the game...
...Netherlands vs. Taiwan in the 1st round...
...of the World Baseball Classic 2013...
...in Taichung (Taiwan)...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Toronto then again struck first, scoring two runs in the top of the second inning.
José Bautista led off with a walk, then Yu Darvish struckout next batter Russell Martin, but then gave up a 2-run homerun to Troy Tulowitzki.
Texas again appeared to have something in the making in the bottom of the second inning.
With one out, Ryan Rua and Elvis Andrus both singled.
They also stranded, as the next two batters were called out on strikes by Home Plate Umpire Lance Barksdale.
In the top of the third, it was Darvish who struckout two batters after he had hit lead-off hitter Darwin Barney with a pitch.
In the bottom of the third, Texas left two runners behind for the third consecutive time.
Ian Desmond led off with a single, then Rougned Odor singled with two outs.
A grounder then ended the at bat.
Texas was finally able to score a run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
With two outs, Nomar Mazara and Carlos Gomez singled.
Ian Desmond followed with another single that brought in Mazara and narrowed the deficit to 2-1.
But again, two runners were left behind.
In the top of the fifth inning, Toronto showed some offensive power again.
It not only got the run back, it added two more and did it with three solo-homeruns!
First, Kevin Pillar led off with a homerun.
After next batter Darwin Barney popped out, it was Ezequiel Carrera, who homered.
Hereafter, Josh Donaldson popped out, but then Edwin Encarnacion homered down the leftfield-line to lift the lead to 5-1.
It was his second postseason-homerun, as he hit a walk-off, 3-run homerun in the eleventh inning on Tuesday in the AL Wild Card-game against Baltimore Orioles.
For Yu Darvish, it was the first time in his Major League-career that he gave up four homeruns in one game.
Darvish was replaced in the sixth inning by Tony Barnette, who at age 32 made his Major League-debut this season.
The righthander made nine postseason-appearances in his career, which all came in Japan.
There, he pitched in the Japan Series last year for Yakult Swallows.
In Japan, Barnette developed into a quality closer and last year earned 41 saves in the Japanese Major League (NPB).
The Alaska-born Barnette was drafted in 2006 by the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he played at all levels in 2006-2009, pitching in 29 games in Triple-A in 2009.
He was then released in January 2010 and continued his career in Japan.
There, he pitched in six seasons for Yakult Swallows, where he became a closer and recorded 97 saves.
He was then signed by the Rangers last December.
In the sixth, Barnette gave up a 2-out single to Michael Saunders, but he was forced out moments later.
He then retired the side in the seventh inning.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Ian Desmond led off for Texas with a double off of reliever Joe Biagini.
He advanced on a grounder by Carlos Beltran, then took off to score on a grounder towards the short stop-side of third base by next batter Adrian Beltre.
Third baseman Josh Donaldson made a high throw to catcher Russell Martin, who tagged the sliding Desmond.
He was called out by Home Plate Umpire Lance Barksdale, but the call was challenged by Texas.
On some of the replays, Desmond might have touched the plate inches before being tagged, but the call was upheld and so, he was out.
Hereafter, Biagini was relieved by Brett Cecil, who then walked Rougned Odor.
That led to another pitching change, as Jason Grilli took over and closed the inning.
With that, Texas stranded two more runners.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland led off for Texas with a double off of new pitcher Francisco Liriano.
With one out, Liriano walked pinch-hitter Robinson Chirinos and so, the Rangers again had two baserunners.
After Chirinos was replaced by pinch-runner Jared Hoying next batter Carlos Gomez lined the ball back and it hit the back of Liriano's neck, then jumped into centerfield.
Moreland scored and Hoying advanced to third base.
Hereafter, Liriano was replaced out of precaution and closer Roberto Osuna was inserted.
On Tuesday, in the Wild Card-game, Osuna left the mound with an injury, but he was placed on the ALDS-roster.
He was not available to pitch in the opener on Thursday, but his services were now called upon today.
Osuna saw Ian Desmond groundout, but that brought in Hoying and narrowed the deficit to 5-3.
Gomez advanced to second base and then moved to third base on a following passed ball.
But the inning then ended when Osuna struckout powerhitter Carlos Beltran.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Toronto inserted Melvin Upton, Jr. as its new leftfielder.
Moments later, Adrian Beltre drove the ball into deep leftfield, but it appeared to be catchable for Upton.
However, he led the ball go over his head and it hit the wall, then rolled back through his legs, resulting in Beltre ending up on second base with a double.
Hereafter, Ozuna struckout Rougned Odor and Jonathan Lucroy popped out.
Ozuna earned a save, as the game ended when Mitch Moreland flied out to centerfield.
This season, the Rangers led the Major League with 49 come-from-behind victories, but it was unable to do so today.
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Toronto also wins second game in ALDS
ARLINGTON, Texas (USA) -
Toronto Blue Jays won 5-3 against Texas Rangers in Game 2 of the best-of-five American League Division Series on Friday-afternoon (October 7).
With that, the Blue Jays are now leading 2-0.
The Series now moves to Toronto, where it will continue next Sunday.
Toronto opened the Series on Thursday with a big and convincing 10-1 victory.
The 9-run difference loss equals the largest margin in postseason-history for the Rangers.
It also suffered 9-run difference losses in 2010 and 2011, when losing 9-0.
In 2010, the loss came in Game 2 of the World Series against San Francisco Giants.
In 2011, the Rangers lost 9-0 against Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.