The work Texas Rangers did in the regular season led to home-field advantage in the World Series despite starting every American League playoff round on the road.
HOUSTON – Advantage Texas in Houston, advantage Rangers in the Fall Classic.
Home-field advantage, that is.
With the 11-4 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, Texas punches its ticket back to the World Series for the first time since 2011. And now, the Rangers can enjoy a few days sleeping in their own beds before traveling to either Phoenix or Philadelphia for Game 3.
But why? Why do the Rangers, a team that blew the AL West division title on the last day of the regular season, get to start the World Series at Globe Life Field?
Simple: MLB rules.
According to the MLB postseason ruling, the team with the higher regular-season win percentage earns the home field for the World Series, regardless of division title or Wild Card berth. The Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies all finished as Wild Card teams, but Texas posted 90 wins.
The Diamondbacks, this year's Cinderella squad that swept both the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers, finished 84-78 during the regular season. The Snakes would automatically hit the road regardless of which team claimed victory at Minute Maid Monday evening due to the lesser record.
But the Phillies, who finished 90-72 alongside Houston and Texas, would have a case to home Games 1 and 2, along with 6 and 7, if necessary, at Citizens Bank Park. That's only if the Astros were to claim the AL title.
Thanks to a season-opening sweep, the Rangers own the tiebreaker over the Phillies. First pitch time for Game 1 has yet to be announced, though one should expect a 7 p.m. start time.
Texas won all four games at Minute Maid Park to secure the AL Pennant over its instate rival. Against postseason star Cristian Javier, the Rangers plated three runs in the first, one coming on a solo home run from Corey Seager.
Adolis Garcia, who sealed the 9-2 victory in Game 6 with a ninth-inning grand slam, picked up where he left off early Monday, driving in rookie Evan Carter with run-scoring single in the first. Garcia also launched a 368-foot solo shot to right field in the fourth to extend Texas' lead by three and homered again in the eighth.
The Diamondbacks and Phillies will square off Tuesday evening at "The Bank" to determine which team heads to Arlington for Friday night's first pitch.
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