A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
The Texas Rangers are World Series champions for the first time in franchise history. They beat the Arizona Diamondbacks five nothing last night in game five of the series. Toluwani Osibamowo from member station KERA reports that it's a moment many fans in North Texas have been waiting for their whole lives.
TOLUWANI OSIBAMOWO, BYLINE: Things were tense as both teams remained scoreless into the seventh inning. Consistent strikeouts from Arizona's Zac Gallen made sure of that. But it was a single from Rangers shortstop Corey Seager at the top of the seventh that finally got things into motion for Texas. A Mitch Garver single drove Seager home, and four more runs at the top of the ninth inning solidified the Rangers' win. The Rangers clinched the championship two states away from home, but it was at their home field in Arlington that their victory was the sweetest.
(CHEERING)
OSIBAMOWO: This was the Rangers' third shot at a championship title since two back-to-back losses at the 2010 and 2011 World Series. Dallas fan Corey Carrasco (ph) says both 12 years ago and now, it all came down to the final out of the game.
COREY CARRASCO: We were there back in 2011, we were one out away. We know that feeling, so now it's like, hey, that last out to get it feels so great, so good.
OSIBAMOWO: Many baseball fans thought this year's World Series was an unlikely matchup of two underdog teams. Both Texas and Arizona each lost more than a hundred regular season games just two years ago. The Diamondbacks won their first and only series ring back in 2001 against the New York Yankees. Gloria Sanchez, who says she's the Rangers' biggest fan, is actually from Arizona. But she's been a Texas fan for the past 30 years, and she says she's always believed in her Rangers.
GLORIA SANCHEZ: No matter what they've done in the past, here we are today. World Series, baby, World Series. (Cheering). Yes, yes.
OSIBAMOWO: Fans also say the Rangers' success and their loyal fan base shows the rest of the world what North Texas already knew, it's not all about the Cowboys in Dallas-Fort Worth. Carrasco's boyfriend, Jesse Vallejo, said after the game, it was just a joy to celebrate the win in Arlington among other North Texas fans.
JESSE VALLEJO: This is what baseball is. This is community right here. It has no race. It has no political affiliation. It's just - it's baseball. It's the Rangers, and we did it.
OSIBAMOWO: For NPR News, I'm Toluwani Osibamowo in Arlington, Texas. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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