For the first time in franchise history, the Texas Rangers are going to the World Series, and they did it by knocking off the heavily-favored New York Yankees. Texas starter Colby Lewis dominated the Yankees for eight innings and Vladimir Guerrero hit a clutch two run double for the team’s first American League Championship.

The Rangers offense picked up where it left off against Phil Hughes. After beating him in Game 2 of the series, they scored a quick run in the first when Guerrero drove in Elvis Andrus with an RBI groundout.

The Yankees tied the game in the fifth inning with Nick Swisher batting and Alex Rodriguez on third. Lewis threw a pitch in the dirt which bounced into Swisher’s leg and then to the backstop. Rodriguez trotted home and the run counted because the Home Plate umpire missed the call and didn’t declare the ball dead and award Swisher first base. Ron Washington argued but the run stood and the game was tied at one.

In the bottom of the fifth, Hughes ran into trouble again. After Mitch Moreland hit a leadoff single, Hughes retired Andrus and Michael Young. With two outs, the Yankees decided to intentionally walk Josh Hamilton. Vladimir Guerrero, who hadn’t had an RBI in the series coming into Game 6, roped a two run double to the gap in left-center, giving the Rangers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The Rangers added two more runs in the fifth on a Nelson Cruz homerun, his second of the series. The final run of the game came in the seventh inning, when Ian Kinsler hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded, making the score 6-1, a score that would last until the final out.

Although the Rangers offense got the job done, the real story of the night was Colby Lewis. He allowed only one run and three hits to a vaunted Yankees lineup.

Neftali Feliz came in to shut the door in the ninth, and the celebration began when he caught Alex Rodriguez looking for the final out of the game.

Ranger’s legend and team President Nolan Ryan was presented with the American League Championship Trophy following the game and Josh Hamilton was awarded the ALCS MVP.

The Rangers now await the winner of the series between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants. Cliff Lee will likely get the start in Game One of the World Series for the Rangers.

Used with permission of the author.

 Along with contributing to Sports Climax, Brett Kettyle is the Atlanta Braves Community Leader on Bleacher Report and maintains a Braves column for MTR Media. Follow Brett on Twitter.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

Mark Cuban has lost another battle to own a major league baseball team. The Dallas Mavericks owner was bidding at auction for the bankrupt Texas Rangers against a group led by baseball legend, Hall of Famer and Rangers president Nolan Ryan.

In a 1am decision yesterday, the court approved the bid offered by Ryan’s group, which beat out an offer worth nearly $600 million by Cuban’s group. The auction finally ended about 1am, around 10 hours after it had begun, when Cuban’s group did not try to counter Ryan’s $593 million offer, which included $385 million in cash.

On August 2 it was reported that Cuban was pushing MLB saying that if he won the team at auction, the approval vote by MLB’s 30 owners should be expedited and taken no later than August 16 and that closing on the transaction must take place before that date, though there was no reason given for the August 16 date.

This is Cuban’s second failed attempt to own a major league ball team. Two years ago, he waged a campaign to buy the Chicago Cubs, but eventually pulled out after the SEC filed charges of insider trading.

Prior to those charges, Cuban had made trips to Wrigley Field, sitting in the bleachers with the fans, trying to garner their support for his bid. The bid went to the Ricketts group, headed by Tom Ricketts who officially announced themselves as the new Cubs’ owners in a late October press conference last year.

In both cases, MLB and the Commissioner’s office had made it clear who their choices were for owners of both teams. For the Cubs, it was the Ricketts. For the Rangers, it was the group headed by Nolan Ryan.

MLB has final approval of team sales and could have gone with the second-highest bid, but the auction ended when Cuban reached a predetermined cash amount.

According to the Ranger’s bankruptcy plan, creditors will receive about $75 million from the team. However, the judge has said lenders, who are reportedly owed approximately $525 million, can go after now former team owner Tom Hicks and his other companies.

This is a great move for the team and for baseball. Ryan knows the game and is adored and respected by fans and peers. Nolan is the complete opposite of Cuban who is flamboyant and outspoken, something MLB has shied away from. Ryan finished his career in Texas playing for the Rangers in 1993, his Cooperstown plaque is pictured above.

After the auction, Cuban showed good sportsmanship and tweeted on his Twitter account, “@mcuban Congrats chuck and nolan. Go Rangers !”

The Rangers are currently leading the American League West Division.

Used with permission of the author.

Miriam Romain is a Chicago-based sportswriter and national columnist covering the Chicago Cubs for Examiner.com. The Windy City native is also the Associate Editor for SBNation Chicago and has been published in the Maple Street Press Cubs annuals. In her free time, Romain is working on a book titled “Summers At Wrigley With My Dad.”

Copyright © 2010 Sports Climax, LLC

PITTSBURGH – Ben Roethlisberger’s meat remains in the news.

Ty Ballou, the owner of PLB Sports, told the New York Times he is severing ties with Roethlisberger and will no longer distribute Big Ben’s Beef Jerky. Lately it appears Ben needs little help in doling out any goods related to meat.

Ballou is said to be an avid Steelers fan and also told the newspaper he is disgusted by the allegations made against Roethlisberger in a Georgia sexual assault case.

Although the Georgia D.A. refused to press charges on the Steelers quarterback and the player did read an apology in front of the cameras, Ballou decided to terminate the contract:

“I can’t imagine anyone touching Ben Roethlisberger. Enough is enough. I hope there is a suspension,” said Ballou. “At some point in time, Ben has got to put himself in the right position and understand what it means to be a celebrity, a quarterback, a Steelers player.”

Ballou’s website lists many other athletes as endorsers for his products like Joe Greene, Kurt Warner, Nolan Ryan and Terrell Owens but the details surrounding Big Ben’s personal meat at the Capital City Bar in Georgia was the last straw and too much for him to handle.

“We’ve made a lot of money together. I’m leaving a lot on the table by terminating this contract. Even thought there were no criminal charges, there are just enough issues here that it’s the best interests of PLB Sports to break ties.”

Just curious, was the jerky sold in mini bites or jumbo size?

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax™