Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers — page 3 — CHAPTER 1 WINNING THE PENNANT

Texas Rangers — page 4 — N eftali Feliz had a chance to make his tory The Texas Rangers had a 3 2 lead in the 2010 American League AL Championship Series With two outs in the top of the ninth inning of Game 6 the Rangers led the New York Yankees 6 1 Feliz the Rangers closer needed just one more out to send his team to its first World Series Yankees star Alex Rodri guez was at the plate More than 51,000 fans at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington stood and cheered as Feliz got two strikes on Rodriguez Then he threw an 83-miles-per-hour slider Rodriguez watched as the ball cut back into the strike zone The umpire called strike three Fans erupted The Rang ers rushed to the mound to celebrate After half a cen tury including 39 seasons in Texas the Rangers were going to the World Series Vladimir Guerrero jumps on top of his Rangers teammates in celebration Vladimir Guerrero jumps on top of his Rangers teammates in celebration after they defeated the New York Yankees in the 2010 AL Championship after they defeated the New York Yankees in the 2010 AL Championship Series to advance to the team’s first World Series Series to advance to the team’s first World Series WINNING THE PENNANT 5

Texas Rangers — page 5 — I’m so excited center fielder Josh Hamilton said You know this is something that has never happened here before To be part of something like that means the world The game marked the culmination of the Rangers breakthrough 2010 season The franchise had endured a mostly sorry history to that point Since Adding an Ace e Adding an Ace When the 2010 Seattle Mariners When the 2010 Seattle Mariners season turned sour they decided season turned sour they decided to trade ace pitcher Cliff Lee Many to trade ace pitcher Cliff Lee Many thought the free-spending New York thought the free-spending New York thought the free-spending New York thought the free-spending New York Yankees were a likely destination Yankees were a likely destination Yankees were a likely destination The su in Minnesota Twins were The surging Minnesota Twins were The surging Minnesota Twins were an option as well But on July 9 the an option as well But on July 9 the Mariners sent Lee to the Rangers Mariners sent Lee to the Rangers The trade sent a message that the The trade sent a message that the Rangers meant business Lee help Rangers meant business Lee helped Rangers meant business Lee helped Rangers meant business Lee helped the Rangers win the AL West Then the Rangers win the AL West Then the Rangers win the AL West Then he won his first three starts in the he won his first three starts in the he won his first three starts in the postseason to help the Rangers postseason to help the Rangers postseason to help the Rangers secure their first pennant That secure their first pennant That included an 8 0 playoff win over the included an 8 0 playoff win over the Yankees when the left-hander held Yankees when the left-hander held New York to two hits and one walk in New York to two hits and one walk in eight inni gs eight innings eight innings 6 TEXAS RANGERS debuting as the Washington Senators in 1961 the team had never won an AL pennant until 2010 In fact the Rangers had never even won a playoff series until they beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2010 AL Division Series ALDS The foundation for the Rangers successful season was set the previous year In 2009 the Rangers posted a winning record for only the second time in 10 years They played aggres sive fundamental baseball under manager Ron Washing ton With standouts such as Feliz third baseman Michael Young second baseman Ian Kinsler and outfielders Ham ilton and Nelson Cruz the Rangers were ready to contend in 2010 That is exactly what they did The Rangers took over first place in the AL West Division on June 8 Winning streaks of

Texas Rangers — page 6 — Cliff Lee pitched the Rangers to a 5 1 victory in Game 1 of the 2010 ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays 11 and seven games helped the club increase its division lead to 10 games by mid-Septem ber Then on September 25 first baseman Jorge Cantu hit an eighth-inning home run that gave the Rangers a 4 3 win over the Oakland Athletics The vic tory clinched the Rangers first AL West title since 1999 Despite the Rangers great regular season few considered them a favorite in the playoffs Many thought they would lose to the AL East champion Rays in the ALDS But Rangers ace Cliff Lee shut down the Rays in a 5 1 win in Game 1 C J Wilson Darren O’Day and Darren Oliver combined to hold WINNING THE PENNANT 7

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