Major League Baseball

Rangers pound Orioles to take 2-0 lead in ALDS: Here's what we learned

Updated Oct. 8, 2023 9:17 p.m. ET

In a blink, the Texas Rangers offense went from resilient to relentless.

Aaron Hicks gave the Camden Yards crowd a jolt with a two-run single in the bottom of the first inning. The Orioles' elation, especially after a frustrating Game 1, didn't last long Sunday. The Rangers struck right back with a devastating five-spot in the top of the second against rookie righty Grayson Rodriguez, who was throwing as hard as he had all year but with little command.

Rodriguez was lifted after just five outs recorded and 59 pitches thrown, putting O's manager Brandon Hyde in an especially tough spot. Trying to cover seven-plus innings with a bullpen that is already down its biggest weapon in Félix Bautista would be a monumental challenge in any scenario, let alone one where you are trying to avoid falling down 2-0 in a best-of-five series — and against a lineup as unforgiving as the one Texas fields.

The Orioles' offense showed flashes as the game progressed, far more than it did Saturday, but it wasn't nearly enough. Texas prevailed 11-8 in Game 2 of the American League Division Series, and look as dangerous as ever as the series shifts to Globe Life Field on Tuesday.

Key moment

A waiver claim from the Angels in early August, Jacob Webb was a sneaky solid pickup who provided valuable bullpen depth for Baltimore over the final few months. He posted a 3.27 ERA across 25 appearances and allowed zero home runs. However, the more homer-prone version of Webb we saw in Anaheim resurfaced at the worst possible time.

He allowed a solo homer to the first batter he faced (Josh Jung) when brought into a one-run game Saturday. Then, on Sunday, given a much tougher assignment — he entered the third inning with the bases loaded following three consecutive walks from Bryan Baker — Webb again surrendered a homer to the first batter he saw, this one of the grand slam variety off the bat of Mitch Garver to make it 9-2.

With so much game left and a Rangers bullpen that, in theory, would also need to step up amid a relatively shaky performance from starter Jordan Montgomery, a three- or four-run deficit wouldn't have especially intimidated an Orioles offense that had come back time and time again all season long. Seven runs, though? That's a different story — a dagger if there ever was one.

Game 2 MVP

Corey Seager added to his already legendary October résumé by becoming the first player in postseason history to walk five times in a game. "History" speaks for itself, but Seager was only the 18th player to ever draw four free passes in a playoff game. He may have only scored two of the Rangers' 11 runs, but he forced Baltimore pitchers to throw 37 pitches across his six plate appearances, and the degree to which he was consistently pitched around enabled huge moments like Garver's grand slam.

Inside the box score

The offensive barrage wasn't quite on par with the Rangers beating the Orioles 30-3 back on Aug. 22, 2007, but Texas did collectively make a bit of history at the plate in Game 2. The Rangers became just the fourth team to collect at least 11 hits and 11 walks in a postseason game. Remarkably, the most recent team to do it — the 2005 Braves in an NLDS Game 4 — actually lost, but that game lasted 18 innings. This was a little different.

What's next?

Nathan Eovaldi is the surefire bet to get the ball Tuesday night for Texas, and he'll look to replicate his form from the wild-card series (1 ER in 6.2 IP vs. Tampa Bay) after a less-than-stellar final month of the regular season (9.30 ERA in six September starts). Baltimore's pick to start Game 3 isn't quite as obvious, though lefty John Means being left off the roster due to elbow soreness clarifies their options somewhat.

It would seem like a choice between right-handers Kyle Gibson and Dean Kremer, with the other slated for Game 4 in all likelihood. Hyde will have to decide whether the 35-year-old veteran or the 27-year-old making his October debut has the better chance of succeeding in an elimination game on the road. As we saw in Game 2, it'll be crucial for Baltimore not to let the game completely unravel in the early going, and allow its own offense to actually have a chance to fight fire with fire.

As for Texas, think about how much has changed since the Rangers fans last saw their team at home. On Sept. 24, Texas completed a sweep of Seattle at Globe Life Field to move 2.5 games up in the AL West race with just a week to go in the regular season. It was an excellent note to leave town on for your final road trip: a five-game winning streak with a division title within reach. At that point, the home crowd could've reasonably expected to next see their team for Game 1 of the ALDS.

Instead, the Rangers went 3-4 on the trip and let the AL West slip away in Game 162. Suddenly, the fans in Arlington weren't even guaranteed to have the opportunity to welcome them home at all. The ugly final week forced the Rangers to remain on the road for an additional week with only a chance of extending their season and getting back to Arlington.

Well, extend it they did. And not only did they win a wild-card series to ensure at least one more home game in 2023, the Rangers — notoriously one of the streakiest teams in baseball all season — have flipped the switch in their favor once again. They will return to Globe Life Field as one of the hottest teams left in the postseason field, having won four in a row: two close contests, two blowouts, all four victories impressive in their own way. It won't be the first postseason baseball we've seen at the venue — 2020 gave us plenty of that — but it will be the first featuring its actual residents. With just one more victory, Texas can advance to its first ALCS since 2011.

Jordan Shusterman is half of @CespedesBBQ and a baseball writer for FOX Sports. He has covered baseball for his entire adult life, most notably for MLB.com, DAZN and The Ringer. He's a Mariners fan living in the Eastern Time Zone, which means he loves a good 10 p.m. first pitch. You can follow him on Twitter @j_shusterman_.