Napoli in middle of Rangers’ loss to Cardinals
ARLINGTON, Texas — A wild throw home. A close play at the plate. The missed call at first base.
Mike Napoli was in the middle of almost everything that went wrong for the Texas Rangers in a 16-7 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night.
Playing first base for the first time in this World Series, Napoli made a rushed throw home in the fourth inning that sailed past catcher Yorvit Torrealba for an error that allowed two runs to score by the Cardinals in Game 3.
The Cardinals four-run outburst in the fourth began when second baseman Ian Kinsler made a wide throw to first to finish what should’ve been a double play. Napoli reached wide to his left to snag the ball, then with a sweeping motion tagged the approaching runner squarely on the shoulder.
Almost as quickly, Napoli was holding his glove up in front of first base umpire Ron Kulpa in utter disbelief after Matt Holliday was ruled safe to take away what would have been a double play.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Rangers got three runs in a span of five pitches when Michael Young homered, Adrian Beltre singled and Nelson Cruz hit his seventh homer of the postseason. Napoli followed with a single, but the inning ended when he was thrown out at home trying to score on Kinsler’s flyball to left.
Napoli was thrown out on a perfect throw by Holliday.
The Rangers lost because of more than the blown call and Napoli’s error, but the primary catcher and part-time first baseman found himself in the middle of the first of several big innings by St. Louis.
Albert Pujols, who later hit three home runs, had a leadoff single in the fourth before Holliday hit a perfect double-play ball toward shortstop Elvis Andrus. Second baseman Kinsler took the throw to force Pujols, but his throw toward first was high and a bit up the line. Napoli, who has been primarily the Rangers catcher, made a nice stretch to grab the ball and make a tag in one quick swoop.
Napoli and Texas manager Ron Washington argued to no avail.
After David Frese’s double that scored Holliday, the Rangers intentionally walked Yadier Molina to load the bases with one out. Jon Jay hit a grounder toward Napoli, who snagged the ball and then threw on the run toward home.
Team president Nolan Ryan held his hands to his temple while watching from his first-row seat near the Rangers dugout.
During a pitching change a couple of batters later, Napoli and Kinsler stood together halfway between first and second base.
Rangers have taken to chanting “Nap-o-li!, Nap-o-li!” each time the former rival bats at home in the postseason. They did it even after his throwing error, and he delivered a single and two sacrifice flyballs after that.
The primary catcher during the postseason, and most of the second half of the year, Napoli was at first base with the Rangers back at home with American League rules. Manager Ron Washington inserted Torrealba at catcher while Young was the designated hitter, a lineup Texas has used many other times.