'We still got faith': Fans try to keep a brave face as DBacks lose Game 4
Anthony Aragen struggled to remain stoic as he recalled the heartbreaking losses the Texas Rangers suffered when they played in the 2010 and 2011 World Series. These losses were particularly painful because they came agonizingly close to winning the 2011 series in Game 6, only to ultimately lose the game and the series.
Now Aragen’s team was one game away from clinching a championship that has forever eluded them after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 4 with a score of 11-7.
“I was actually worried that they weren’t going to win back-to-back,” Aragen said of the Rangers.
Aragen, who traveled from El Paso to Phoenix, expressed his belief that the Texas Rangers should have won the last World Series they were in. He was, however, confident that he would witness his team secure the championship during Wednesday's game, for which he also had tickets.
“We’re going to clinch it,” Aragen said.
For Diamondbacks fans, their Halloween evening turned into a bit of a horror story as the Rangers' offense dominated the game in the second and third innings, scoring five runs in each. The Diamondbacks managed to put a run on the board in the fourth inning and added four more in the eighth, following another round of scoring by the Rangers.
In the ninth inning, the team briefly rekindled hope by scoring two more runs. However, their efforts wouldn't be sufficient to overcome the Rangers' aggressive performance from earlier in the game.
Instead, fans clad in Diamondbacks jerseys, along with those in Halloween costumes that ranged from skeletons to pirates, wore grim frowns as they watched a game that had been all but decided.
With the Rangers now holding a 3-1 lead in the World Series, they are just one win away from securing the championship. This presents an opportunity for the Texas team to fulfill the dreams of their fans and potentially create a nightmare scenario for the Diamondbacks.
Ainsley Peterson, an Arizona State University student, said she made the last-minute decision to attend the World Series to cheer on the DBacks despite being a Chicago Cubs fan.
“So I’ve been a Diamondbacks fan since this game started,” Peterson said.
She expressed her disappointment in the Diamondbacks' performance during Game 4. However, she also mentioned that she thoroughly enjoyed the overall experience of attending a World Series game in person, which was a first for her. At first, she wasn't certain if she could afford to attend, but she managed to secure a ticket for $194, not including fees.
Angel Ortiz, who is from Phoenix, expressed that it was painful to witness the Rangers establishing such a significant lead early in the game. However, he maintained hope that the Diamondbacks would stage a comeback, similar to what they had done in the National League Championship Series.
“Even though we’re down 3-1, we’re still — we still got faith,” Ortiz said.
Luis Rodriguez, a Tolleson resident and friend of Ortiz, echoed his friend’s sentiments that victory was still within the Diamondbacks’ reach.
“I didn’t think we were gonna get here,” Rodriguez said. “We got here. And now we just gotta support them as far as we go no matter what happens.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'We still got faith': Fans try to stay hopeful as DBacks lose Game 4
