On this day in 2023, the start of something special happened for the Texas Rangers on a Saturday night in the Pacific Northwest.

Texas took down the Seattle Mariners 6-1 to claim their first postseason berth since 2016, which eventually led to the franchise’s first-ever World Series title.

For then-Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, it marked a historic return to the postseason after coming out of retirement less than a year earlier.

“This is what I came back for, and there's nothing like it,” Bochy said at the time. “It's been some kind of ride so far, and we've got a lot of work to do, but to be in this moment right now, these are memories you never forget, and for these guys I couldn't be happier.”

The Rangers got off to a quick start in the third inning as Nathaniel Lowe ripped an RBI single into center field to score the game's first run. Jonah Heim and Leody Taveras also contributed RBI hits in the inning to extend the Texas lead to 3-0.

Heim would draw a bases-loaded walk in the fourth to make it 5-0, and in the 8th, Marcus Semien ripped an RBI to score the Rangers' sixth and final run of the night.

On the mound, Andrew Heaney fired 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing just five hits without walking a batter and striking out two. Josh Sborz, Cody Bradford, and Jose Leclerc would follow in relief, combining to allow just one run on two hits.

“I was hoping it would be me. They put a lot of faith in me. I really appreciate that,” Heaney said after that game. “I’ve had some really great ones, some really bad ones. For them to put the faith in me, that’s amazing.”

Heaney would, of course, end up playing a pretty big role in the overall success of the pitching staff out of the bullpen on the Rangers' run to the world title.

After the game, the Rangers locker room celebration caused some controversy, given Texas had not wrapped up the American League West title yet.

At the time, shortstop Corey Seager said, “To come from where we did last year to make the playoffs is extremely exciting. That’s why we’re celebrating tonight.”

In part, it was that moment that helped inspire Seager’s famous “I guess we’ll never know” line at the World Series parade later that fall.