The Texas Rangers have secured a two-game lead in the Division Series

The Texas Rangers (90-72) have taken a two-game lead in the Division Series over the American League’s winningest team, the Baltimore Orioles (101-61).

Texas won Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Baltimore Orioles, 11-8, on Monday (Sept. 9) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The team followed up a 3-2 win in Game 1 with a 2-1 victory to take a commanding lead in the series.

Texas is in the postseason for the first time in seven years after falling to Toronto in three games in the 2016 American League Division Series. They swept the American League’s second-best team, Tampa Bay (99-63), in two games in the Wild Card Series and swept the American League’s best team, Baltimore, in two games in the Division Series. Texas needs one more win to advance to the League Championship Series for the first time in 12 years after finishing as World Series runners-up in 2011.

The Texas offense was on fire with 11 hits, 11 walks and one home run. Mitch Garber led the way, going 2-for-6 with a grand slam, one home run, five RBIs and two runs scored. Corey Seager drew five walks and Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia and Josh Young each had multi-hit games.

Starter Jordan Montgomery struggled, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits (one home run) with one walk and two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings, but the bullpen of Cody Bradford (3 1/3 scoreless innings), Josh Svotz (1 1/3 scoreless innings), Brock Burke (2 1/3 scoreless innings), and Jose LeClerc (1 1/3 scoreless innings) preserved the win.

For Baltimore, who dropped their second straight and are in danger of being eliminated from the series, starter Grayson Rodriguez took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits and four walks with two strikeouts in 1⅔ innings. The bullpen of Danny Koolum (⅓ inning, no runs), Brian Baker (⅓ inning, 3 runs), Jacob Webb (1⅔ innings, 1 run), Zach Flaherty (2 innings, 1 run), 온라인카지노 Tyler Wells (1 inning, 1 run), Lionel Perez (1 inning, 1 run), and Yoenis Cano (1 inning, 1 run) also gave up runs.

At the plate, Gunner Henderson hit his first home run of the postseason, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two runs scored, and a walk in the loss. Aaron Hicks hit a game-tying three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to go 5-for-5 with two doubles, one home run, five RBI and one run scored, while Jorge Mateo had a four-hit game and Austin Hayes had a three-hit game but couldn’t prevent the team from losing.

Baltimore got on the board in the first inning when Ryan Mountcastle and Gunner Henderson singled and Austin Hays drew a walk to load the bases. Aaron Hicks followed with a two-run single to center field.

Texas answered right back. In the top of the second, leadoff hitter Nathaniel Lowe drew a walk and Josh Young followed with a single to put runners on first and second. Leodi Taveras followed with a two-run double to tie the game.

With two outs, Marcus Semien walked to load the bases and Corey Seager drew a walk. Texas got an RBI single from Mitch Garber, an RBI single from Adolis Garcia, and an RBI single from Jonah Heim to take a 5-2 lead.

In the third inning, the Texas bats didn’t cool down. Taveras, Semien, and Seager drew walks to load the bases before Garber hit a grand slam to put the game out of reach.

Baltimore got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when leadoff hitter Jordan Westberg doubled. Cedric Mullins walked and Jorge Mateo followed with an RBI single. After a wild pitch put runners on first and second, Adley Rutchman reached on a throwing error by the shortstop and Mountcastle followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to make it 4-9.

Texas loaded the bases in the top of the fifth on a Taveras walk, a Semien single and a Seeger walk. Garber was hit by a pitch but scored on a wild pitch to give Texas a 10-4 lead.

Baltimore got a run back in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run by Henderson, but couldn’t capitalize on the rest of the inning. In the sixth, Mateo led off with a double, but Lurchman, Mountcastle, and Anthony Santander were all stranded. In the eighth, Mateo singled and Lurchman doubled to put runners on second and third, but Mountcastle grounded out to shortstop.

Texas got on the board in the top of the ninth when Young led off with a double. Earls Taveras and Semien followed with back-to-back singles to plate another run.

Baltimore loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth when Henderson drew a walk and Hayes singled to put runners on first and second. Texas brought in closer Jose LeClerc, but Aaron Hicks hit a three-run homer to pull Texas within one. But no more runs would come.