Texas Hold 'Em; Rangers Even Series

Derek Holland was dealing last night

After a night where the bats finally sprang to life and thumped out hit after hit, the series returned to normal in Game 4 when pitching reigned supreme once again.  Derek Holland came up big and gave Ron Washington's overworked bullpen a much needed breather by carrying a shutout into the ninth inning before handing the ball over to Neftali Feliz for the final two outs.  Holland was untouchable on a night where he allowed just two hits (both to Lance Berkman), two walks and fanned seven while holding Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, and the rest of St. Louis's lineup in check on a cool night in Arlington.

His margin for error was razor thin during the game's first half, as Redbird starter Edwin Jackson nearly matched his adversary.  Jackson quickly settled down after allowing a Josh Hamilton RBI double (marking the first time Texas got on the scoreboard before St. Louis in the series) and loading the bases in the bottom of the first and trailed just 1-0 in the sixth before walking Nelson Cruz and David Murphy with one out.  Tony LaRussa went to the bullpen, and Mitchell Boggs promptly served up a three run blast to Mike Napoli on the first pitch.  Texas had its much needed insurance runs, but Boggs and Jake Westbrook kept the Rangers off the board for the remainder of the evening, allowing St. Louis to mount one last rally in the top of the ninth.

Holland got the first out on a Nick Punto grounder to Adrian Beltre, but a free pass to Rafael Furcal ended his shutout bid as Ron Washington brought in his closer.  Feliz then walked Allen Craig to put runners on first and second for the heart of the Cardinals lineup with only one out.  Up stepped Albert Pujols, fresh off the fourth 3-homer game in World Series history and more locked in than any hitter on the planet.  Feliz, for his part, didn't pitch around the slugger; he challenged the great Pujols and got the count to 0-2 before inducing a deep fly ball to center field for out number two.  Then, after loading the count against Holliday, Feliz whiffed him on the eighth pitch of the at-bat to seal the win and even the series at two games apiece.

This best of seven has been whittled down to a best of three, and the pivotal Game 5 features the aces, Chris Carpenter and C.J. Wilson, and thus figures to be another low-scoring affair.  I think whoever wins this game will win the series, and since I believed in Texas at the onset of the Fall Classic I'm going to stick to my guns and pick them to win tonight.