Rangers squeak by Cardinals 2-1 in 2d game of World Series

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My beloved Cardinals got their feathers plucked by the Texas Rangers in the 9th Inning last night.

Here’s the summary from MLB:

ST. LOUIS — Jason Motte stood in front of his locker in the quiet Cardinals clubhouse and said the same thing over and over: “I didn’t do my job.”

Three outs from taking a 2-0 World Series lead to Texas, St. Louis instead finds itself tied with the Rangers at a game apiece.

Motte allowed consecutive singles to open the ninth inning, and sacrifice flies by Josh Hamilton and Michael Young lifted the Rangers to a 2-1 victory Thursday night.

“It was almost a great story for us,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “Turned out to be a greater one for them.”

In a virtual repeat of the opener, pinch-hitter Allen Craig put the Cardinals ahead with a seventh-inning single off Alexi Ogando.

St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia allowed three hits in seven shutout innings before Fernando Salas and Marc Rzepczynski combined for a hitless eighth. But a day after Motte finished off a 3-2 win with a 1-2-3 ninth, Ian Kinsler blooped a leadoff single to left, just beyond the reach of shortstop Rafael Furcal. Kinsler then stole second, narrowly beating Yadier Molina’s throw.

“I mean, my hand just barely got in there. It took everything I had,” Kinsler said. “Yadier made an unbelievable throw, quick, on the money, and I was just able to get my hand in there.”

“Load the bases, that’s a really difficult thing to do,” La Russa said. “I don’t think walking him there would have made it easier for us. I think it would have made it tougher.”

Hamilton, the reigning AL MVP, drove home Kinsler with a fly to right.

“It would have been a grounder if I would have kept it down,” Rhodes said.

Lance Lynn relieved, and Young hit a fly to center that scored Andrus with the go-ahead run.

Motte took the loss, and Mike Adams got the win with a scoreless eighth. Neftali Feliz pitched the ninth for the save, walking Molina before striking out Nick Punto and Skip Schumaker. Furcal flied out to end it.

The next game will be played in Houston at 8:05PM ET on Saturday.

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