Reliving Memorable Rangers Moments: Adrian Beltre Goes Yard From One Knee in 2011 World Series
The 2011 World Series can often be a painful memory for Texas Rangers fans.
David Freese is a curse word at this point in life for Rangers faithful.
However, the 2011 Fall Classic provided some incredible moments for Rangers fans, which we'll detail here at Sports Illustrated this week.
First up: Adrian Beltre's majestic home run in the bottom of the 6th inning in Game 5 to knot the score at 2-2.
In the box score, it's just a solo blast. In person and on video, it's so, so much more.
Texas got off to a slow start in Game 5, falling behind 2-0 just two innings into the game thanks to an RBI single by Yadier Molina to drive in Matt Holliday, and an RBI groundout by Skip Schumaker to drive in Lance Berkman in the top of the second inning off of Rangers starter CJ Wilson.
Trailing by two runs at home, the vaunted Rangers' offense simply couldn't get anything going in the friendly confines of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Mitch Moreland hit a towering home run in the third inning to jump-start the Rangers' attack, making it a 2-1 game. But aside from Moreland's moonshot, Texas hitters recorded just two other hits, drew a walk and reached on an error.
With two outs in the bottom of the 6th inning and facing an 0-1 count, future first-ballot Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre dropped to one knee and scorched a hanging breaking ball from Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter deep into the left-field seats, sparking the crowd and his Ranger teammates.
Rangers infielders Elvis Andrus and Esteban German were so excited, they leaped out of the dugout to celebrate Beltre's bomb.
Carpenter had thrown Beltre a few breaking balls in previous at-bats, sending Beltre to a knee on those as well, only to come up short. This time around, in a key moment of a crucial Game 5, Beltre got the better of the Carpenter.
Still today, some 8+ years after the majestic home run, watching old clips still makes the game-tying home run seem improbable. No player should have that much power dropping to one knee. As we saw in later years of his career, Beltre made a habit of showcasing that power from one knee.
Following Beltre's game-tying blast, the Rangers went on to win Game 5 by a score of 4-2 thanks to a two-run double by Mike Napoli in the bottom of the 8th inning that drove in Michael Young and Nelson Cruz.
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