San Francisco @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 30, 2010 ) San Francisco 2, Texas 4
The Texas Rangers found their power source back home at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, and now they've found their way back into the World Series.
After a pair of home runs helped the Rangers shake out of their offensive slump to win Game 3, they'll have a chance to even the series when they face the San Francisco Giants in Game 4 on Sunday.
The Rangers hit just .227 with five extra-base hits - all doubles - in the first two games in San Francisco, but they didn't waste any time scoring runs once they got back home.
Rookie first baseman Mitch Moreland - the No. 9 hitter - hit a three-run homer in the second inning and American League MVP candidate Josh Hamilton added a solo shot in the fifth. Both blasts came against Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez.
Texas will try to keep the hits coming against Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner, who is 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in the playoffs.
Bumgarner beat the Atlanta Braves to close out the NL Division Series, and the Giants won his only start in the NL Championship Series against the Phillies, though he didn't factor in the decision. He also threw two scoreless innings of relief in San Francisco's clinching win against Philadelphia.
The Giants also hit a pair of homers in the first World Series game ever played in the Dallas metro area - solo shots by Cody Ross and Andres Torres - but they couldn't muster much more against Rangers starter Colby Lewis, and the Rangers' beleaguered bullpen didn't blow up this time.
Texas' relievers allowed 11 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in San Francisco, but Darren O'Day retired the only batter he faced Saturday and closer Neftali Feliz struck out two in a perfect ninth for his first save of the postseason.
Feliz saved 40 games in the regular season - the most ever by a rookie - and he had pitched in five of Texas' previous 13 playoff games, but none of those appearances had been in save situations.
The Rangers have gotten solid starts from C.J. Wilson and Lewis the past two games and they would love for right-hander Tommy Hunter to keep up that trend, but Hunter has struggled in the playoffs.
Hunter is 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA in two postseason starts, and he hasn't pitched past the fourth inning either time. He was 7-0 with a 3.06 ERA at home this season.
Ross' home run was his fifth of the postseason.
Aces Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee are scheduled to pitch Game 5 on Monday in Texas. If the Rangers can win at least one of the next two games, they'll send the series back to San Francisco for Game 6 on Wednesday.