Texas Rangers beat Arizona Diamondbacks to win World Series in 5 games
The Diamondbacks played in the final baseball game of the 2023 season. They exceeded every possible expectation for six months, then for one more in October. But when the calendar turned to November, 259 days after they arrived at Salt River Fields for spring training, the ride came to an end.
They lost Game 5 of the World Series, 5-0, handing the Rangers their first championship in franchise history, and falling three wins short of claiming the ultimate prize for themselves.
Zac Gallen took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, when he allowed a single to Corey Seager, a double to Evan Carter and a single to Mitch Garver in consecutive at-bats. That put the Diamondbacks behind, 1-0, and ended Gallen’s day after 6 1/3 innings.
The score would remain there until the ninth, when the Rangers hit four singles and a home run off closer Paul Sewald, making it 5-0 and vanquishing Arizona’s remaining hopes.
The offense, though, was the primary scapegoat on the night. The Diamondbacks managed just five hits, although they walked six times. With men on base, they went just 1 for 16.
—Theo Mackie
Nick Piecoro's analysis: DBacks' season ends as Rangers capture series, but future is bright
Thomas error, Semien homer push Diamondbacks to brink
With runners on first and second and no outs in the top of the ninth inning, the Diamondbacks — down 1-0 — seemingly still had a glimmer of life. Then with two Rangers runners already on against Arizona closer Paul Sewald, Jonah Heim grounded a single up the middle, and it got under the glove of a charging Alek Thomas.
The ball rolled almost all the way to the wall. By the time Corbin Carroll could cut it off, two runs had scored and Heim was pulling into third base. Three batters later, Marcus Semien made matters even worse, crushing a two-run home run out to left field and making it 5-0.
The Diamondbacks have three outs left to score five runs and keep the World Series going.
—Theo Mackie
Diamondbacks' season down to last inning in Game 5
As they have all night, the Diamondbacks put a runner on base in the eighth inning. And as they have all night, they wasted the opportunity. They trail the Rangers, 1-0, entering the ninth inning of Game 5.
After Kevin Ginkel escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the top half of the eighth, Alek Thomas gave Arizona life with a two-out single in the bottom half. But pinch-hitter Pavin Smith watched a curveball over the outer edge of the zone for strike three. The Diamondbacks are now 1 for 15 with men on base.
—Theo Mackie
Offense silent as Diamondbacks trail Rangers after seven
The Diamondbacks’ season is six outs from meetings its end. They trail, 1-0, after seven innings.
After six dominant, hitless innings from Zac Gallen, the ace finally cracked in the seventh, allowing one run to cross before Kevin Ginkel extinguished his jam. But the offense, again, could not turn that escape into anything.
After Ketel Marte drew a one-out walk, Gabriel Moreno struck out swinging and Christian Walker lined out to center. The Diamondbacks have managed 10 baserunners but are 1 for 14 with men on base.
—Theo Mackie
Rangers break through against Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks
It took until the seventh inning, but the Rangers finally opened the scoring in World Series Game 3, breaking up Zac Gallen's no-hit bid and jumping out to a 1-0 lead.
The Diamondbacks' starter had only allowed one baserunner through six innings, a fifth-inning walk to Nathaniel Lowe. But leading off the seventh, with third baseman Evan Longoria shifted to his left, Corey Seager steered a two-strike curveball into the vacated hole at third for the Rangers' first hit. Evan Carter then followed by lining a curveball into right field for a double, putting runners on second and third.
Torey Lovullo left Gallen in to face Mitch Garver, who hit a crisp single up the middle to score the first run of the game.
—Theo Mackie
DBacks' Zac Gallen through six no-hit innings
Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen retired the side in order in the top of the sixth and has still yet to allow a hit in Game 5 of the World Series.
Gallen has allowed just one baserunner, walking Nathanial Lowe with two out in the top of the fifth.
He has given up some hard contact — a pair of deep fly balls off the bats of Josh Jung and Mitch Garver, a ball hit by Marcus Semien on which shortstop Geraldo Perdomo made a diving stop — but has largely been in control.
He has struck out five.
Meanwhile, he still has gotten no offensive support in a scoreless game, as Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi has scattered 4 hits across six innings. The DBacks have left nine on base.
—Nick Piecoro
Zac Gallen holding Rangers hitless through 5 innings
Zac Gallen allowed his first baserunner of Game 5 in the fifth inning, but held the damage there despite some hard contact.
Gallen allowed well-struck flyouts to left field to Mitch Garver and Jace Jung to lead off the inning. Jung's in particular appeared perilous before Lourdes Gurriel Jr. chased it down on the warning track. After walking Lowe — an at-bat that included a controversial check swing that was called a ball — Gallen struck out Jonah Heim to end the inning. He has four strikeouts in the game.
The Diamondbacks and Rangers are scoreless through 4 1/2 innings, despite Arizona's three hits.
—Theo Mackie
Zac Gallen perfect through four innings
The Diamondbacks have advanced this far despite not getting customary performances from right-hander Zac Gallen. Through four innings of Game 5, Gallen is looking more like his old self.
Gallen has retired each of the 12 batters he has faced, throwing just 35 pitches against a highly aggressive Rangers lineup.
The Diamondbacks and Rangers are scoreless through 3 1/2 innings.
Gallen has allowed some hard contact, most notably on a Marcus Semien ball hit toward the hole on the left side to lead off the fourth. Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo made a diving stop, then popped up and made a one-hop throw to first baseman Christian Walker.
Gallen looked better in his final two-plus innings of Game 1, retiring seven of the final eight batters he faced, and he appears to be carrying that success into Game 5.
The offense, however, has yet to break through against right-hander Nathan Eovaldi.
The Diamondbacks had runners on first and second with the heart of their order coming up and still failed to score. No. 3 hitter Gabriel Moreno dropped down the first sacrifice bunt of his career to move runners to second and third, and Eovaldi then struck out Walker and got Tommy Pham to bounce out to end the inning.
The Diamondbacks, who have put the leadoff man aboard all three innings, are 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
—Nick Piecoro
DBacks miss on early scoring chances vs. Rangers
The Diamondbacks and Rangers are scoreless in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night after the Diamondbacks left a runner in scoring position in each of the first two innings.
The Diamondbacks already are 0 for 5 with men in scoring position.
In the first, leadoff man Corbin Carroll walked and stole second on the first pitch to No. 2 hitter Ketel Marte, who bounced out to move Carroll to third. With the infield pulled in, Gabriel Moreno then grounded to short, Christian Walker walked and Tommy Pham bounced into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.
The Diamondbacks got another leadoff man aboard in the second when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. grounded a two-strike single to center. He took second on a ground out but was left standing there after both Evan Longoria (lineout) and Geraldo Perdomo (fly out) failed to deliver hits.
Longoria’s was a tough luck out. He hit a hard liner to left, where the Rangers’ Evan Carter charged in to make a sliding catch.
—Nick Piecoro
World Series schedule, results
Game 1: Rangers 6, Diamondbacks 5
Game 2: Diamondbacks 9, Rangers 1
Game 3: Rangers 3, Diamondbacks 1
Game 4: Rangers 11, Diamondbacks 7
Game 5: Rangers 5, Diamondbacks 0; Rangers win series 4-1
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rangers beat Diamondbacks to win World Series in 5 games
