ARLINGTON, Texas — Mike Napoli hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning against Marc Rzepczynski, and the Texas Rangers rallied from a two-run deficit to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 Monday night and take a 3-2 World Series lead.
“I was just trying to get something to the outfield,” Napoli said. “Get a sac fly, get that run across the board. I was trying to stay short and I got a pitch I could handle over the middle of the plate and put it in the gap.”
Solo home runs by Mitch Moreland in the third and Adrian Beltre in the sixth off Chris Carpenter sparked the Texas comeback. Michael Young doubled off loser Octavio Dotel leading off the eighth.
Darren Oliver got the victory in relief of C.J. Wilson, and Neftali Feliz finished for his sixth save of the postseason, striking out Albert Pujols as part of a double play when Allen Craig was caught stealing second.
Wilson lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing 2 runs (one earned) on 4 hits, 5 walks and 3 strikeouts.
Beltre struck out and Nelson Cruz was intentionally walked after Young’s double in the eighth.
Dotel was relieved by Mark Rzepczynski and David Murphy reached on an infield single to load the bases and Napoli doubled to deep right field, making it 4-2.
Pujols drew three intentional walks, including a pass with two outs and none on in the seventh. The St. Louis slugger then nearly used his legs to put his team ahead. Pujols was running hard on a 3-2 pitch that Matt Holliday hit for a single to left-center. Pujols chugged around the bags and third base coach Jose Oquendo initially waved him home, only to put up a late stop sign.
Beltre made it 2-2 with two outs in the sixth, dropping to one knee after following through on a big swing. He connected on a big curve from Carpenter, who had easily handled Josh Hamilton and Young to start the inning.
“The previous at-bat he threw me two breaking balls that I saw pretty good, so I was hoping he’d throw me another one a little higher,” Beltre said. “And he did and I was able to put a good swing on it.”
Beltre’s other home run this October came in a bunch. He hit three in a first-round playoff game at Tampa Bay.
Napoli almost gave Texas a cushion later in the inning. With the crowd standing and chanting his name as “Nap-Oh-Lee” flashed on the scoreboard, the catcher’s bid for a threerun homer was caught on the warning track in right-center field, just shy of the 407-foot mark.
The home run let Wilson avoid becoming the first pitcher to lose four times in a single postseason. Wilson walked six while losing Game 1 to Carpenter and the Cardinals.
“I’ve had a lot of experience the last couple of years for better or worse, whether it was my fault or bad bounces or whatever, but I’ve been out there for some really wacky situations,” Wilson said. “I’m not going to let that beat me. I’m not going to let that discourage me at all.”
Moreland atoned for some glove woes with a home run in the third, hitting a drive halfway up the second deck in right field.
The Cardinals scored twice in the second, cashing in two leadoff walks sandwiched around a wild pitch. Yadier Molina notched his fifth RBI of the Series with a single that left fielder David Murphy overran and fumbled for an error. Skip Schumaker followed with an RBI grounder to first that Moreland boxed around, preventing any chance at a double play.
Murphy made a diving catch to end the inning, denying Nick Punto a run-scoring hit. Punto carried his bat all the way to first base and tried to break the wood by bending it over his right thigh.
Already ahead 2-0, the Cards threatened in the third after Wilson slipped coming off the mound trying to field Rafael Furcal’s leadoff bunt and made a poor, backhanded flip that skittered past Moreland. But with runners at the corners, Wilson got Holliday to bounce into a quick double play.
Sports, Pages 15 on 10/25/2011