Young delivers in the ninth to lift Rangers

ST. LOUIS For the first eight innings, the most dangerous lineup in baseball couldn't scratch out a run against the Cardinals. The Rangers were three outs away from having to hear again how they were no match for St. Louis in a National League-style game. But the most dominating closer of the postseason, Jason Motte, couldn't survive the top of the Rangers' order in the ninth. In fact, he only faced two batters before getting yanked in favor of lefty Arthur Rhodes. With a 2-1 win Thursday, the Rangers were able to accomplish their goal of gaining a split in the first two games of the World Series. In Game 1, the Rangers 2-4 hitters combined to go 0-for-11, but Elvis Andrus, Josh Hamilton and Michael Young delivered in Thursday's comeback win. Young called Kinsler's leadoff single a "classic long dart" because it seemed to hang in the air forever before eluding the glove of shortstop Rafael Furcal. Kinsler stole second base and then moved to third on Elvis Andrus' sharp single to center field. After a Josh Hamilton sacrifice fly to right field tied the game, 1-1, Young came to the plate with Andrus on third. He looked at three straight balls from reliever Lance Lynn, so it appeared the Cardinals wanted to set up the double play. But Lynn threw a strike to make the count 3-1 and Young fouled off the next pitch to make it a full count. "I was trying to get something to the outfield," said Young. "Not get too greedy. Stay short, stay quick and get something to the outfield." Young waited on a Lynn curveball and hit it deep enough to center field that Jon Jay didn't attempt a throw to the plate. With back-to-back sacrifice flies, the Rangers completely changed the complexion of this series. It was almost as if they finally gave up on trying to bludgeon the Cardinals and decided to manufacture a couple runs. Young was stoic as always during an interview session, but he certainly knows how this series just turned on a dime. He'd struggled through much of the postseason before driving in five runs in Game 6 of the ALCS. But in Game 1 of the World Series, he was back to hitting weak grounders to the shortstop. Young and Hamilton have combined for one home run in the postseason, and their lack of production stood out in Wednesday's 3-2 loss. But with the game on the line in Game 2, they just needed to make solid contact. "We knew we had to scratch and claw," said Young. "We had to manufacture some runs. That was the goal." Rangers manager Ron Washington, who had opened himself up to second-guess hell in Game 1, said the "karma" in the dugout was good throughout the evening despite the lack of runs. And he issued a warning. "I think tonight was one of those great ballgames that I think you will continue to see against the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers," said Washington. "That's what you're in for, so I've got to say those of you that have bad hearts, watch yourself." If not for the Rangers' ninth-inning rally, the focus would've been on a play Young wasn't able to make at first base in the seventh inning. With two outs and a runner on first, No. 8 hitter Nick Punto hit a grounder that darted underneath Young's back-hand attempt at first base. It was ruled a hit, but it's a play that Mitch Moreland probably makes. Washington called upon reliever Alexi Ogando to face pinch-hitter Allen Craig, who promptly drove in the first run of the game with a single to right center. Yes, that's the same guy who beat Ogando in Game 1. "We were playing no doubles," said Young, explaining why he was guarding the line. "When you play no doubles, you're giving up a lot of space. If I'm playing in my normal spot, that ball comes right to me." But Young's sacrifice fly in the ninth basically wiped out the memories of the seventh inning. The Rangers have only managed four runs through two games of the World Series. To have gained a split seems like a minor miracle as everyone heads for Arlington.