Mike Napoli smashed a tiebreaking two-run double in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Texas Rangers to a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday for a 3-2 lead in the World Series.
Napoli’s shot into the right-center field gap drove in Michael Young and Nelson Cruz as Texas battled back from an early two-run deficit.
Neftali Feliz hit Allen Craig with a pitch to start the ninth but struck out Albert Pujols while Craig was thrown out stealing by Napoli. Feliz issued a two-out walk to Matt Holliday before striking out Lance Berkman for his second save of the series.
The Rangers can win the best-of-seven series in Wednesday’s Game 6 in St. Louis.
Young started the eighth with a double off Octavio Dotel (0-1), Cruz was walked intentionally and David Murphy reached on an infield single off the left knee of reliever Marc Rzepczynski to load the bases. Napoli followed with the double that gives him nine RBIs in 13 at-bats in the series.
St. Louis took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on Yadier Molina’s run-scoring single to left and Skip Schumaker’s infield grounder.
Mitch Moreland got Texas on the board in the third with an upper-deck homer to right and Adrian Beltre tied the score by hitting a two-out shot to left in the sixth.
Darren Oliver (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the Rangers to earn the win after starter C.J. Wilson allowed two runs - one earned - and four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings.
St. Louis | Texas | |
Chris Carpenter | Player | C.J. Wilson |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
7.0 | IP | 5.1 |
4 | Strikeouts | 3 |
6 | Hits | 4 |
2.57 | ERA | 1.69 |
St. Louis | Texas | |
Yadier Molina | Player | David Murphy |
3 | Hits | 2 |
1 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
3 | TB | 2 |
.750 | Avg | .500 |