The Texas Rangers return to Arlington tonight to face the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series, and North Texas baseball fans are hoping for a sweep to take their hometown team to the World Series.
The Rangers lead the Astros 2-0 in the series. If the Rangers win Wednesday and Thursday at Arlington鈥檚 Globe Life Field, they鈥檒l clinch their first appearance in the World Series in over a decade.
Longtime Rangers fan Michael Kelly wasn鈥檛 sure he would get to witness this historic moment. He said he almost died three years ago from a congenital heart condition he didn鈥檛 know he had.
鈥淚 had so many complications after the surgery that I almost never made it through it,鈥� Kelly said. 鈥淚t was just a year, year and a half struggle to even get back on my feet.鈥�
Between his rocky health and his family鈥檚 finances, Kelly said he was just ready to watch the game from his home in Tyler.
Then Wednesday morning, his wife surprised him with tickets to game four.
鈥淚 just started crying,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou know, the Rangers mean the world to me.鈥�
Kelly, 62, remembers the era of eating hotdogs on hot metal bleachers at the old stadium, now Choctaw Stadium, long before the Rangers moved to Globe Life Field in 2020. He also remembers the heartbreak of the Rangers 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2011 World Series.
But Kelly said the veteran wisdom of Rangers manager Bruce Bochy and young centerfielder Evan Carter will be key to the team鈥檚 success this time around.
鈥淓verybody loves the Cowboys,鈥� Kelly said. 鈥淏ut I'll tell you what: The Rangers are slowly becoming the team that everybody wants to be associated with.鈥�
Ramon Pryor couldn鈥檛 make it to the stadium for the Rangers' ALCS games in 2011, but he鈥檚 been a fan his whole life. He grew up going to the Choctaw Stadium, became a Juan Gonz谩lez fan and now shares his love of baseball with his kids.
Like Kelly, he said the rest of the world needs to know Texans love baseball just as much as football.
鈥淲hether good or bad, you know, we stick with them because at the end of the day, we love the Rangers,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is about wins and losses, but it鈥檚 not. It鈥檚 a natural fanbase, a pure fanbase, a genuine fanbase.鈥�
Sally Marquez and her family are decades-long fans, too. Their bakery opened in 1990 and is now just a block away from Globe Life Field.
Marquez Bakery鈥檚 partnership with the Rangers鈥� stadium formed organically when workers came to eat at the restaurant over the years. Marquez said her family was honored when the stadium asked the bakery to supply red and blue torta buns for the new Big Tex Torta for the ALCS.
鈥淲e're a baseball family, but especially a Ranger family,鈥� Marquez said. 鈥淪o, this is exciting for us. It's been a while since, you know, we've all been this excited.鈥�
She said the Rangers need to keep pitching well to maintain their lead against the Astros, who were last year's World Series champions. The Houston team could make its sixth Series appearance 鈥� the third in a row 鈥� if it wins the ALCS.
But Marquez said she has no doubts of the Rangers' success.
鈥淭heir pitching is strong and they're hungry, they're young, and they want it," Marquez said. "I have full confidence that they're going to go all the way.鈥�
Wednesday and Thursday's games at Globe Life Field are scheduled to start at 7:03 p.m. If necessary, Game 5 will start at 4:07 p.m., also in Arlington.
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