On This Day in 2011: Rangers Get First Postseason Win

On this day, in 2011, the Texas Rangers claimed their first postseason victory in their eventual World Series run.

Texas took down the Tampa Bay Rays 8-6 in comeback fashion in game two of the ALDS at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Down 3-0 against Rays starter James Shields, Texas loaded the bases in the fourth inning. Third baseman Adrian Beltre was hit on the knee to bring home the first Rangers run of the night.

The very next batter was Mike Napoli, who worked a full count before fouling off multiple pitches and eventually lacing a two-RBI single into left field to tie the game at three.

Later in the inning, Texas would take the lead as David Murphy swung and missed at a ball that got away from Rays catcher Kelly Shoppach, allowing a run to score. An RBI groundout from Mitch Moreland would score the inning's fifth and final run.

The big Rangers rally would come just after Tampa Bay scored a pair of runs against Texas starter Derek Holland, who would finish the day going five innings and allowing three runs on six hits while punching out a pair.

Leading 5-3 in the sixth, Ian Kinsler shot an opposite-field two-RBI single into right field to extend the Rangers' lead to 7-3.

In the seventh, the Rays would get three huge runs against the Texas bullpen to make it a one-run game. However, in the eighth, the Rangers would get a huge insurance run on a home run to deep right field by Mitch Moreland.

In the ninth, Neftali Feliz came on to earn the save, and Texas picked up a win in what felt like a must-win game after dropping game one.

Had the Rangers lost back-to-back games at home and needed to secure three straight victories to advance, there’s a high possibility we’re not talking about a run to the World Series.

The heart of the Rangers' core came through in this game, as many of the key figures of the team contributed with massive hits that led to the victory. We also saw key pitching performances from the likes of Holland and Feliz to help Texas to the big win.

Certainly, we all know how that season ended, but there’s no denying that his victory in ALDS game two set the stage for what we now know as the second greatest postseason run in franchise history.