Texas Rangers' Adolis García Gets Last Laugh With Grand Slam Over Astros in ALCS Game 6
HOUSTON – Gasoline serves as the ignition to light a flame.
Who knew that the cascading sounds of boos would offer the same impact for Adolis García Sunday night at Minute Maid Park — even if it took a few tries to create the spark.
Following Friday's fiasco that led to the ejection of García, Houston Astros reliever Bryan Abreu and manager Dusty Bakers, fans of the defending World Series champs had dubbed the Texas Rangers' All-Star outfielder a "villain."
They let him know early he wasn't welcome in these parts as he entered the batter's box with two outs in the first inning.
Fine, let the city south of Arlington turn García into the bad guy. This isn't a comic book where the superhero always wins. In life, not everyone receives the happy ending they desire.
García, who struck out four times before his final at-bat, got the last laugh with a ninth-inning grand slam to shut down any comeback conversation in a 9-2 win in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.
The Rangers, who have won three straight away from Arlington, are now one win away from punching their ticket to the Fall Classic for the first time since 2011.
“If there's one guy I want to play in hostile conditions, I think it's Doli,” said Rangers designated hitter Mitch Garver. "And he showed it tonight.”
Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) hits a grand slam against the Houston Astros in the ninth inning during game six of the ALCS.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
If tensions wanted to reach new heights for a winner-take-all showdown, consider Monday's elimination game a first in the chronicles of the Silver Boot Series. Sure, a home run off Ryne Stanek in the ninth would have stung for Astros' fans no matter what.
But it was García — who took Stanek's fastball 110.1 mph into the Crawford Boxes in left field — to deliver the crushing blow. And it had to be. After the drama at Globe Life Field on Friday in Game 5 of the ALCS that led to a benches-clearing battle, it was only fitting for he be the one to make sure the Astros faithful would see him again.
And he did it in García style, holding his bat halfway to first base while watching the ball and fans head for the exits before finally begging an unapologetic trot around the bases.
"To be booed like that all game and then come up in the big spot, calm your emotions, and then homer like that is a pretty special moment," said shortstop Corey Seager.
Oh yes, the boos reigned from all across the ballpark when García stepped up to the plate. They echoed at nearly the same pitch as the cheers from fans when he headed back to the dugout with a "K" attached to his stat line.
But they didn't stop there. García likely heard snide remarks from fans in the lower deck in right field during warmups. He certainly must have listened to several remarks between pitches from those hoping to rattle his charisma.
Seager said the boos likely didn't affect him at all. Second baseman Marcus Semien believed at this point in the series, any clanging caused by fans was a moot point in Houston.
"They tried to do everything they could to get in our heads," Semien said. "It's a great swing by him to quiet everybody down.”
Texas relied on the long ball to do damage Sunday evening, scoring seven of its nine runs off homers. Garver kicked off the scoring in the second with a solo blast to right-center field. Jonah Heim broke the 1-1 tie in the fourth with a two-run shot just over the outstretched reach of Kyle Tucker in right.
Both dingers would have sufficed to secure the win, but García wanted to leave his stamp on the making. Consider that goal accomplished heading into Sunday's elimination game.
García wasn't made available for questions postgame, but he didn't have to be to explain the feeling.
The clamorous silence surrounding Minute Maid painted a picture few words could describe in the same manner.
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