After not being used in the series against Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers Mitch Garver sweeps in to own the Baltimore Orioles in Game 2 of their American League Division Series.
Manager Bruce Bochy surprised fans and opponents by fielding the 32-year-old catcher in Game 2 at the Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Garver made a good account and put his name in record books with his 419-foot grand slam over the left-field wall during the third inning. This hit separated his team from the Orioles en route to an 11-8 victory.
MITCH GARVER GRAND SLAM!!!! 9-2!!!!!! IN THE 3RD INNING pic.twitter.com/7IQFU1Vl8T
— Texas Rangers Insider (@RangersInsiders) October 8, 2023
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"I got a good pitch to hit, honestly," Garver said during an in-game interview with FS1's Ken Rosenthal.
"I was a little hesitant on the first pitch. I was kind of looking for the slider. Wasn't quite where I wanted it. Worked myself into a count where I could get a fastball. I had a feeling he wasn't going to go offspeed in a 3-1 count with the bases loaded, so I took my shot."
Bochy recalls build-up to Garver's Game 2 stint
It was a bold move for Bochy to field in Garver, who was not used in previous playoff games.
However, the decision is not just based on a whim. Bochy explained that Garver's performance throughout the year factored in.
"He came up big earlier, too, with that swinging bunt, speed showed up there," he said.
"He can hit. He's done a great job this year for us, so I gave him a start today. He got a pitch he can handle, and he's got big power. It was big at that point in the game. Really it was the difference in the game."
The Rangers can close the series when the Orioles visit them for Game 3 on Tuesday.
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