If you would’ve asked me, at the beginning of baseball season, that the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers would be playing for the World Series, I probably would’ve said “I wish, but you’ve got so many other more established teams.”
As we all know in sports, however, anything can happen.
That is certainly the case with the current MLB Postseason, with 100-win teams/division winners in the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves all exiting in the Divisional Round.
Here we are on Halloween weekend, with the Diamondbacks and Rangers – just like we all guessed in March – playing for a World Series title.
Texas has the 1-0 series advantage, winning 6-5 last night on an 11th-inning walkoff from star outfielder Adolis García.
One of the best pitchers in the World Series is Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, who starred at UNC from 2014-2016. Gallen compiled a 14-13 record and 3.36 earned run average, plus he struck out 231 batters, in his college years.
Gallen also got the start in Game 1 of the World Series last night, becoming just the seventh former Tar Heel to play in the annual Fall Classic.
Gallen pitched an okay game, allowing three runs, four walks and just four hits over five innings. Gallen was actually in line for the win, until Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald allowed a game-tying home run to Rangers slugger Corey Seager in the ninth inning.
García’s late-inning, walk-off ended all hopes of an Arizona victory.
There’s a chance we could see Gallen in Game 5, as long as the Diamondbacks don’t get swept. Regardless, this World Series gives UNC baseball fans a reason to tune in.
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