Derek Holland pitched 8 1/3 shutout innings and Mike Napoli blasted a three-run homer as the Texas Rangers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 to level the 107th World Series at two games each.
Josh Hamilton also had a run-scoring double in the opening inning for the Rangers, who are trying to win the first World Series in their 51-year franchise history.
“He was a thoroughbred tonight,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said of Holland. “He showed the world what he is capable of doing.”
It was Holland who picked up the pieces for the Rangers on a warm fall evening in game four after they were blown out 16-7 one night earlier.
Texas’ victory means the best-of-seven Major League Baseball championship series will go back to St. Louis for game six on Wednesday.
“I felt like I had to really prove myself,” Holland said. “I wanted to get the momentum back on our side. I did everything I could to prepare for it and get ready.”
Holland, who turned 25 earlier this month, struck out seven and walked two to earn his second win of the post-season, blanking the Cardinals in front of a sell-out crowd of 51,539 on Sunday.
“Growing up it was a dream of mine to pitch in the World Series and get a win. I wanted to show that I belong here to begin with and I can pitch in a big game.”
The Rangers have won all five of Holland’s starts in the playoffs and he pitched well into the night Sunday, giving the Texas beleaguered bullpen a much-needed rest.
Texas will also host game five on Monday, when Rangers left-hander C.J. Wilson will go up against Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter.
“He’s a great pitcher,” Napoli said of Carpenter. “Hopefully we will get some good pitching and defence and scuff away a couple of runs.”
Washington pulled Holland with one out in the ninth inning and put in closer Neftali Feliz who got the final two out.
Holland pleaded with Washington to remain in the game but when he heard the familiar chuckle he knew his time was up.
“I was begging. I didn’t get on my knees. And then typically he gave that nice little ha, ha, ha! That little laugh he always does. I was trying everything I could to stay out there.”
Napoli hit a 392-foot missile to left field bleachers in the bottom of the sixth for the Rangers who continued their streak of not losing two games in a row. Texas haven’t lost back-to-back contests since late August.
“I had an idea they were going to try and pound me inside and I just got a pitch up that I could handle,” Napoli said.
The Rangers are in their second consecutive World Series after being strangers to October success for the club’s first 49 years. They lost to San Francisco in five games last year.
Holland retired all three St. Louis batters in order in the top of the seventh starting with Albert Pujols. Pujols, who hit three homers and six RBIs in game three, grounded out to Holland as did the next batter Matt Holliday. Holland then capped off the inning by striking out designated hitter Lance Berkman.
“He worked us over,” said St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa of Holland. “Give him credit. He shut us down.”
Cardinals starter Edwin Jackson took the loss, allowing three hits and walking seven batters in 5 1/3 innings.
The Cardinals were shut out just one night after scoring 16 runs, making it the largest run differential from one game to the next in World Series history.
“Good pitching always stops good hitting,” said LaRussa. “We pitched pretty well and it was a 1-0 game. They won in the sixth with three runs.”
