PHOENIX — Corey Seager launched a two-run homer and made a slick defensive play in the eighth inning to start a crucial double play, Max Scherzer combined with four relievers for a gem on the mound and the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 to take a 2-1 lead in the World Series on Monday night.
Texas overcame injuries to Scherzer and slugger Adolis García in improving to 9-0 on the road this postseason.
“We’re just coming ready to play every night, no matter where we are,” Seager said. “That’s what the focus is.”
The 29-year-old Seager — in the second year of a $325 million contract — once again showed he was worth every penny on the game’s biggest stage.
The shortstop smoked a two-run homer into the right-field seats as part of a three-run third after Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt left a first-pitch changeup high in the zone. The ball left Seager’s bat at 114.5 mph, which was the hardest-hit Fall Classic homer in the Statcast era, dating back to 2015.
García cut down Christian Walker at the plate with a stellar throw from right field in the second, stifling some early Arizona momentum. García exited in the eighth after appearing to hurt his left side on a swing.
Scherzer threw three solid innings before leaving with back tightness, and Jon Gray, Josh Sborz, Aroldis Chapman, and José Leclerc combined to keep Arizona’s offense quiet most of the evening.
Game 4 in the best-of-seven Series is Tuesday at Chase Field. Former San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy is now two wins away from becoming just the sixth manager to capture four or more World Series titles.
The others are Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel with seven each, Connie Mack with five, and Walter Alston and Joe Torre with four each. Bochy won World Series titles in 2010, 2012, and 2014 with the Giants.
The D-backs rallied in the eighth when pinch-hitter Emmanuel Rivera led off with a double against Chapman. Geraldo Perdomo followed with an RBI single, making it 3-1. But then Chapman worked out of the jam — striking out Corbin Carroll before Seager started a clutch double play, sliding on his knees to field a hot smash from Ketel Marte before flipping to Marcus Semien at second, who threw to first.
“Just trying to make the play,” Seager said. “I think Marcus did a better job than me with the turn and the transfer. Props to him, props to Chapman for making a good pitch and we got out of the inning.”
After García threw out Walker, the Rangers used a three-run third to take the early advantage. Semien’s two-out single into left center made it 1-0 and then Seager smashed his no-doubt homer deep into the right-field seats. It was Semien’s first RBI in 10 games.
Texas is 9-0 this postseason when scoring first.
It was Seager’s fifth homer this postseason. The shortstop also was one of the heroes of Game 1 in this Fall Classic, belting a tying homer in the ninth that helped rally the Rangers to a 6-5 victory in 11 innings on García’s homer.
The 25-year-old Pfaadt had been a revelation in the postseason with a 2.70 ERA through four October starts, despite a 5.72 ERA during the regular season. He wasn’t quite as good on Monday — giving up three runs on four hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings, striking out four.
The two teams combined for no errors over the first two games of the series and the Rangers produced more defensive highlights that helped them take control of Game 3.
Walker led off the second with a double and Tommy Pham followed with a single, but Walker was thrown out at home. D-backs third-base coach Tony Perezchica put up a stop sign, but Walker either didn’t see it or didn’t care, never hesitating as he rounded third.
Garcia — a Gold Glove finalist who has one of the best arms in the big leagues — threw a 94.6 mph rocket to the plate and easily cut down Walker.
Two batters later, Alek Thomas hit a bouncer that deflected off Scherzer’s right elbow toward the third-base line. Josh Jung was there to barehand the grounder and fling a strong throw across the diamond to beat the speedy Thomas.
Scherzer gave up no runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one.
YOUNG AND CLEAN(UP): Texas’ Evan Carter became the fourth-youngest player to hit cleanup in a World Series game at 21 years, 62 days. The rookie hit third in the first two games, but manager Bruce Bochy said he flipped Carter and García in the lineup on Monday to break up the left-handed bats.
The three youngest were Miguel Cabrera (2003), Ty Cobb (1907), and Juan Soto (2019), who were all 20.
BEEN A WHILE: This was the first World Series game played at Chase Field since Nov. 4, 2001, when the Diamondbacks beat the Yankees 3-2 in Game 7 after Luis Gonzalez’s walk-off hit against Mariano Rivera clinched the series.
The D-backs lost Monday for the first time in the World Series at Chase Field. They were 4-0 at home during the 2001 series, which is the only other time they’ve been to the sport’s biggest showcase.
BIG SWING: There have been 62 previous instances in World Series history when the series was tied at 1-1 after Game 2.
The Game 3 winner went on to win 41 of 62 of those Fall Classics.
UP NEXT: The Diamondbacks will piece together Game 4 on the mound with multiple relievers. Manager Torey Lovullo showed his Southern California roots by mentioning a former Los Angeles Dodgers star when asked about his team’s pitching plans.
“Don Drysdale is not going to fall out of the sky,” Lovullo said. “It’s definitely going to be somebody in our bullpen that’s going to start the day tomorrow.”
Drysdale teamed with fellow Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax in the pitching rotation to help the Dodgers win the World Series in 1959, 1963, and 1965.
The Rangers also aren’t sure about their pitching plans for Tuesday. Bochy said before Monday’s game that right-hander Jon Gray was an option, but he threw in relief after Scherzer came out of the game.