By now, the sound of Corey Seager’s at-bats has become synonymous with great postseason moments.
Seager hit his sixth home run of the 2023 postseason in the second inning of Game 4 of the World Series to end the Rangers’ five-run inning against the D-backs at Chase Field on Tuesday night.
Texas has homered in 15 consecutive postseason games, the longest playoff/World Series streak. Only the Yankees (23 games from 2019 to 2022) and the D-backs (17 games from 2007 to 2023) have longer streaks overall. (Arizona’s streak ended this postseason.)
The Rangers scored early by hitting for the cycle in the second inning against the D-backs pitchers in a bullpen game. They are the first club to achieve the feat in a Fall Classic since the Braves did it in Game 5 in 1991 in the fourth and eighth innings, and the 10th team overall.
Josh Jung started the period with a double against Joe Mantiply, who was replaced by Miguel Castro. Jung advanced to third base on Jonah Heim’s groundout, and took advantage of a Castro miscue to score on a wild pitch.
After Dominican Leody Taveras negotiated a walk, Travis Jankowski – who started for the Rangers for the first time this postseason due to an injury to Cuban Adolis GarcÃa – singled in center field. Marcus Semien drove in two runs with a triple to left field, so Kyle Nelson entered the game in Castro’s place.
The Rangers’ 3-0 lead was quickly increased when Seager entered the batter’s box. The shortstop sent Nelson’s slider over the center field fence. The hit had an estimated distance of 431 feet, according to Statcast, and an exit velocity of 108.4. So, it became Seager the first shortstop to hit three home runs in a World Series and the second to homer in consecutive games in the Fall Classic, joining the Yankees’ Derek Jeter in Games 4 and 5 in 2000.
After that homer, Seager ranks second in home runs by a shortstop in postseason history (19), behind only Jeter (20). He also tied Albert Pujols for the most among players at any position.
