Rangers vs Yankees Game 5 Pick

MLB Baseball Free Pick – Texas Rangers vs New York Rangers – ALCS Game 5

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Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees
Wednesday October 20^th Yankee Stadium 4:00 PM EST on TBS
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Tex: CJ Wilson 1-0, 3.86 in series
New York: CC Sabathia 0-0, 11.25 in series

After years of futility, the Texas Rangers stand on the verge of their first World Series berth in team history. The Rangers offense left the Yankees woozy in Game 4, pounding them for a 10-3 win. And that was fresh on the heels of Cliff Lee’s masterful performance in Game 3 to take the series lead, a game where Lee struck out 13 doing his best Nolan Ryan impression.

But Game 4 was all about Derek Holland who entered the game in relief of starter Tommy Hunter. The starter was only able to last 3 1/3 innings while surrendering three runs on five hits. Holland performed like an ace in 3 2/3 innings of work. He struck out three and allowed no runs, but most importantly gave Texas time to recoup. The Rangers were down 3-2 in the sixth when Bengie Molina hit a fastball from AJ Burnett down the left field line for a three-run game changing homerun.

Game 5 will be at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. CJ Wilson will take the mound for Texas, and he has exceeded expectations thus far. In his last start against the Yankees, he went seven innings for the win, surrendering six hits and three runs in the effort. In two playoff starts, including against Tampa, he has won both games with 13 1/3 innings of work, eight hits, and only three runs.

The offense in Texas has exploded after running on three cylinders against Tampa Bay. Josh Hamilton had been a nonfactor and now has four homeruns in four games against the Yanks. He hit two in the 10-3 win and now has 7 RBIs in the series. Add in a double and his slugging percentage stands at 1.200; five hits in 15 at bats and they are all for extra bases.

Vlad Guerrero went 4-5 in game four and is now hitting .333 in the series. Nelson Cruz hit a homerun as well and is also hitting .333. Not only are the big stars hitting right now, but also the role players like Bengie Molina. That’s the kind of performances a championship caliber team needs, and Texas has it right now.

After taking a risk on Burnett, the Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound in the crucial game. If they are going to go down, it will be with their best on the mound. Sabathia was less than stellar in his last start lasting only four innings while surrendering five earned runs on six hits, but he avoided the decision. His control was off as he allowed four walks, and the burden of the Yankees season will rest on his shoulders. Usually a reliable postseason presence, he has been less than stellar this year. In his two postseason starts, he has walked seven in 10 innings while striking out eight. That’s unusual for a guy who posted a WHIP of 1.19 in the regular season.

The Yankees offense has struggled mightily against Texas. Mark Teixeira has yet to get a hit and Alex Rodriguez is hitting .133, Nick Swisher 0.67, and Cutis Granderson .182. The lone bright spots have been Robinson Cano in the five hole with a .467 average after hitting his third homerun in Game 4. Slugger Lance Berkman has provided some key hits in a utility/platoon role. New York needs to find some firepower tonight because it’s a do or die situation in Game 5.

The odds makers have the Yankees as a -1.5 point favorite with an over/under run total of 8.

Matt’s Prediction: With Texas combining offense, and masterful pitching, they are unstoppable. They have proven their ability to hit the Yanks best in Sabathia, and shown they can shutdown the best lineup in baseball. Start picking your World Series favorites because I’m going with Texas.

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