Spray that victory ginger ale, Texas Rangers fans. (And crack open a beer, if you got one.) The team you keep deep in your hearts has won the AL West for the second season in a row.
Powered by three home runs Friday night, Texas beat the Mariners 5-3 at Rangers Ballpark, then waited a couple of hours and watched the Athletics beat the second-place Los Angeles Angels, which knocked them out and made the Rangers division champions. To win in Major League Baseball, you sometimes have to wait until the math adds up right.
Even as his team partied to celebrate the sixth division title in 51 seasons of franchise history, all since 1994, Rangers spokesman Michael Young considered the next step in problem-solving:
"It's great. Now we have the opportunity to win a World Series," said Young, the team's longest-tenured player in his 11th season. "It's been incredible so far. We're looking forward to the next step."
Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre went deep for the Rangers ? and Craig Gentry added an inside-the-park shot for his first career homer. They backed left-hander Matt Harrison and four relievers, including Neftali Feliz, who closed for his 30th save.
The Rangers were among three teams to clinch division titles at their home parks Friday. In a similar win, wait and watch scenario, the Brewers won their game, then waited and watched on TVs at Miller Park as the Cubs beat the Cardinals to settle the NL Central in Milwaukee's favor. Arizona also got to celebrate by knocking out the Giants in the NL West.
Elvis Andrus, who was watching the A's game on the jumbotron, even went into a home run trot himself after Oakland's David DeJesus hit a late home run to help ensure Texas another West title. After the outcomes were decided, the Rangers jumped for joy and sprayed each other with Canada Dry ginger ale, in deference to Hamilton's recovery from addiction and their celebrations in 2010.
All of the division titles around the majors have been crowned; only the wild cards need to be settled. But for the moment, check out a few more photos from the Rangers party:
Hamilton (left) and Mike Napoli, soaked in their ugly (yet beautiful) championship apparel, reach for a manly embrace.
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Derek Holland (bottle in hand) soaks Michael Young good with some bubbly. It's better to Holland to do so without alcohol, considering he's the team's designated limo driver.
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Young didn't want to DH, he didn't want to stay in Texas anymore, he didn't even want to shake the hands of these fans (just kidding). Now, he's trying for his second straight World Series with the Rangers. Reminds me of a song.
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Leonys Martin (right) soaks Young before he can even open his own tasty bottle of ginger ale open.
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Product placement: You know, it's quite possible that at least one of the writers on The Stew, perhaps even the person who assembled this post, drinks Canada Dry Ginger Ale.
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