Championship Series' Day 5: The Opposite of Monday

 

One of these was bound to happen and the other shouldn't be happening. 

The D-Backs squeaking out a win against the Phillies was bound to happen. Nobody thought the Phils were gonna take all four, especially with how tough this team has been. Brandon Pfaadt put up a masterclass, and saved this team from falling off a cliff after Gallen and Kelly's starts [which may still happen, considering that Game 4 is still kind of up in the air]. The defense redeemed itself and stopped the Phils from getting much done. The small-ball worked, and guys like Pavin Smith had nice days at the plate. And then, once Kimbrel got up in the bottom of the ninth in a 1-1 tie, the win was essentially confirmed. 

This is a tough Diamondbacks team, and this is definitely not Citizens Bank Park. It may go all seven. I don't think it will, but it may. I think if Game 2 goes similarly I'll start worrying, but considering the Phillies had the upper hand against the D-Backs' two best pitchers, and the D-Backs barely got anything done against Ranger Suarez, I still like our odds.

This one was avoidable. You study Urquidy's tape, work with Heaney and Dunning a little more, and this isn't as bad. But a 10-3 loss, evening the series, and making the Astros look really good again, is not what the Rangers wanted. The Astros are in danger of breaking into completely new momentum from the regular season, as people who weren't great during regulation, like Jose Abreu, Jose Urquidy, Cristian Javier and Framber Valdez, are suddenly a lot more reliable. I kinda want the postseason to be a continuation of the regular season, not a complete reversal of everything it was building towards.

This Astros team is still very good, and can still get a lot done, but this Rangers team cannot keep getting caught with their pants down, especially after how good they looked heading into the playoffs. This is the outcome they were trying to avoid, and now with a 2-2 series tie and only one more game in Arlington, they desperately need a win to establish dominance heading back to Houston. Cause if we go back to Houston with the Astros ahead, you can honestly get the World Series parade reserved. And I am not gonna watch them waltz to the end for the umpteenth frigging time.

Somebody needs to stop the Astros. I am BEGGING the Rangers not to mess this up.