Adolis García belted a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to power the Texas Rangers to a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the World Series.
The home run resulted in García setting the all-time postseason record with his 22nd RBI, breaking a tie with David Freese of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011.
“I was thinking hit a good pitch, make a good at-bat, and just thinking of giving my team the victory,” García told Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal following the game.
García is just the second player in MLB history to hit a walk-off home run in his World Series debut, joining Dusty Rhodes of the New York Giants in 1954, according to Opta Stats.
“It was an exciting moment,” García said of his reaction to the home run. “I was just looking to the dugout, looking at all my teammates.”
García has hit a home run in five consecutive postseason games and is one game away from tying David Murphy’s all-time record of six straight playoff contests with a long ball.
The Rangers were trailing 5-3 in the ninth inning when All-Star shortstop Corey Seager hit a two-run homer off Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald to send the game to extra innings.
“Big-time players do big-time things in big-time moments,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said of Seager’s exploits, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, a three-time World Series champion, reflected on one of the more exciting Fall Classic games of his illustrious career.
“It’s right up there at the top, it has to be,” Bochy said, according to Bally Sports Southwest. “That was a great game, entertaining game. Great ball game.”
Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte tied the all-time postseason record with a 17-game hitting streak after ripping an RBI double in the fifth inning.
It’s just the ninth time in World Series history that a team leading by multiple runs in the ninth inning went on to lose, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
Arizona will look to even up the best-of-seven series when the two teams play Game 2 on Saturday night.
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