Rangers vs. Tigers: Texas Returns To World Series With Game 6 Win

For the second-straight year, the Texas Rangers are in the World Series, this time earning the right to play for the title with a 15-5 win over the Detroit Tigers in Game 6 of the ALCS. Making it to the World Series is hard enough, but doing so in back-to-back years is always a feat, and the Rangers now have a chance to do what they couldn’t last year by winning it all.

After the game, the talk in the Texas clubhouse centered on the motivation heading into the season, and the desire to make it back to the World Series.

“As soon as the season began, we were hungry, we were hungry to get back,” Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said.

But getting back wasn’t just the goal, Michael Young said. As expected, the Rangers’ focus was on what’s next, and the biggest trophy of them all.

“This a great trophy, we’re real proud of it,” Young said. “But we’re looking forward to the one with all the flags on it. ... Happy, but not satisfied.”

Ron Washington echoed Young’s sentiments, praising his team’s focus and drive.

“We wanted to get to the World Series. But the bottom line is getting to the World Series and winning it. We feel pretty confident about ourselves,” manager Ron Washington said. “More than anything else, the commitment they made in November after San Francisco sent us home, they held true to it.”

The Rangers will have to wait to learn who they’ll face as the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers are still battling in the NLCS. St. Louis holds a 3-2 series lead and can close it out in Milwaukee on Sunday.

For more on the Rangers’ win, check out the rest of the Baseball Nation live-blog and Grant Brisbee’s recap.