UPCOMING WORLD SERIES TEXAS RANGERS VERSUS ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

By Arnie Leshin 

Ah, our National Pastime, the Fall Classic. Thus far It has been the post-season Major League Baseball of streaks.

So let’s head right into the American League’s best-of-7’s Championship Series that began Oct. 15 in Texas. It looked like Rangers’ time, and it was, back-to-back wins for the home team, a 5-4 nail-biter and a 4-0 shutout. But hold your predictions as Houston soared to three straight victories, 8-5, 10-3, 5-4.

That was neat, had the look of a winner, but so did Texas, and it was rout time for it in games 6 and 7 with 9-2 and 11-4 triumphs and a berth in the World Series.

Then we check out the National League for the Rangers’ opponent.

It made its first pitch on Oct. 16, and it was at the Philadelphia Phillies, and like Texas, it won games one and two 5-3 and 10-3, and it sure got them Philly fanatics stirred up. But here, too, it was the Arizona Diamondbacks who found the way and took the three and four games at 2-1 and 6-5, but then the streaking came to an abrupt half when the Brotherhood City of Liberty emerged with a 6-1 win with two more games to go before stepping onto the main stage.

But stop the music as underdog Arizona prevailed, employing enough pitching and hitting to come away with 5-1 and 4-2 victories over the stunned Phils. 

So from out of the Wild Card mix came the finalists — Texas against Arizona. If no one figured them, well you have to think this country’s big enough to support them. 

The Astros’, in turn, announced that its long-time manager Dusty Baker has retired at age 65, the Rangers coming up with home, sweet home for the final best-of-7 format, Philadelphia packing its gear and checking out, while in steps Arizona to the number one stage. 

In the post-season this all began in the American League with Minnesota topping Toronto twice in the best-of-3, and Texas getting past Tampa Bay twice, and Houston taking three-of-four from the Twins. 

Turning it over to the National League, Arizona led the opening games by twice turning back Milwaukee, Philly went 2-0 against Miami, then Philly winning 3-of-4 over Atlanta, and Arizona surprising the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Who was favored to reach the final stop, well you can say the choice between LA and Philadelphia in the NL, but that didn’t work. You can say Milwaukee or Houston in the AL, but that’s didn’t work either. 

So let it be between these two surprising franchise who haven’t been very busy at these World Series, with the Series-less Rangers last climbing these steps in 2011, and losing, and the Diamondbacks in 2001 when they defeated the New York Yankees in game 7 at home. 

Otherwise, it’s just take me out to the ballgame, catch it on the tubes (Fox) or on the radio (ESPN).

In Texas, it’s Globe Life Field. In Arizona, it’s Chase Field. In starting pitchers for opening night, it’s 28-year-old righthander Nathan Eovaldi (12-5) for the Rangers and 23-year-old righthander Zac Gallen (17-9) for the Diamondbacks. 

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES —

(Best-of-7)

AMERICAN LEAGUE —

TEXAS 4, HOUSTON 3

SUNDAY, Oct.15 – Texas 2, Houston 0

MONDAY, Oct. 16 – Texas 5, Houston 4 

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 18 – Houston 8, Texas 5

THURSDAY, Oct.19 – Houston 10, Texas 3

FRIDAY, Oct.20 – Houston 5, Texas 4

SUNDAY, Oct.22 – Texas 9, Houston 2

MONDAY, Oct. 23 – Texas 11, Houston 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE — 

(Best-of-7)

ARIZONA 4, PHILADELPHIA 3

MONDAY, Oct.16 – Philadelphia 5, Arizona 3

TUESDAY, Oct.17 – Philadelphia 10, Arizona 0

THURSDAY, Oct.19 – Arizona 2, Philadelphia 1 

FRIDAY, Oct.20 – Arizona 6, Philadelphia 5

SATURDAY, Oct.21 – Philadelphia 6, Arizona 

MONDAY, Oct.23 – Arizona 5, Philadelphia 1

TUESDAY, Oct.24 – Arizona 4, Philadelphia 2 

WORLD SERIES —

(Best-of-7)

(All Games on Fox)

FRIDAY, Oct.27 – Arizona (Gallen (17-9) vs. Texas (Eovaldi) (12-5), 6 p.m. 

SATURDAY, Oct.28 – Arizona at Texas, 6:03 p.m.

MONDAY, Oct.30 – Texas at Arizona, 6:03 p.m.

TUESDAY, Oct. 31 – Texas at Arizona, 6:03 p.m.

WEDMESDAY, Nov. 1 – Texas at Arizona, 6:03 p.m.

FRIDAY, Nov. 3 – Arizona at Texas, 6:03 p.m.  

SATURDAY, Nov. 4 – Arizona at Texas, 6:03 p.m.

FRIDAY, Nov. 3 –