Hamilton, Young Struggle, Come Through To Even Series

Josh Hamilton and Michael Young just aren't having very good postseason performances.

Hamilton is playing at "50" or "75 percent", depending on when you ask him, with a groin injury, and Young is just flat-out struggling with the exception of Game 6 of the ALCS.

The duo, who are supposed to be the two most productive hitters in the Rangers lineup are now 1-for-14 with two sacrifice flies that were bigger than any struggles they could possibly be having.

In the top of the ninth, the Rangers started off with Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus reaching base and putting runners at second and third base with no outs.

That's when Hamilton drove the first offering he saw from Arthur Rhodes to deep right field to score Kinsler, and Young followed with a deep fly to right to score Andrus and win the game thanks to a Neftali Feliz save.

Whispers, or pointed shouts, were all around the Metroplex on Thursday saying Ron Washington needed to bench Hamilton for Game 2 to give him two days off before Saturday's Game 3 in Arlington, and it's hard to say that's a terrible idea. It'd also be very hard to question Washington for putting Hamilton in the lineup.

Luckily for all parties involved, the duo got the job done when it mattered most and produced arguably the biggest win in franchise history to avoid going down in an 0-2 hole in the World Series for the second straight year.

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Now, the Rangers return to Arlington where Hamilton's groin will see some warmer weather and both bats will be back in the friendly confines of Rangers Ballpark.

Maybe the bats will return to prominence too.

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