By Jojo Doria

After failing to put away the Tigers in Game 5, the Texas Rangers made sure Saturday night with Michael Young leading the blowout with a pair of two-run doubles in a nine-run third inning that launched them past Detroit, 15-5 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series at Rangers Ballpark.

Young ignited the rally in the pivotal third with a two-run double and finished it off with another two-run double.

He also added a solo blast in the seventh, as the Rangers overcame a slow start to clinch their second straight pennant and punched its ticket to a second straight World Series.

Saturday's results enabled the Rangers, seeking their first title in the history of a franchise, to become just the fifth franchise to capture consecutive AL pennants since the LCS round was introduced in 1969.

Texas awaits the winner of the National League Championship Series, with St. Louis having a 3-2 advantage over Milwaukee.

Nelson Cruz concluded the Rangers' onslaught with a two-run home run in the seventh. It gave him the all-time record for most home runs (six) and RBI (13) in a postseason series.

Cruz was recognized with the ALCS MVP.

Texas, which faced a 2-0 in the second frame, sent 14 batters to the plate against Tigers starter Max Scherzer and three relievers in the highest-scoring postseason inning since 2002.

Derek Holland, coming off a miserable start in Game 2 of this series, allowed solo blasts to Miguel Cabrera in the first and Jhonny Peralta in the second. He ended up yielding four runs on seven hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Alexi Ogando (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings to notch his second win in the series.

Scherzer (0-1), who entered the contest having faced the Rangers seven times including his start earlier in the week and was 3-0 against them, was saddled with the loss. The Detroit right-hander was charged with six runs on five hits and four walks in 2 1-3 innings.

 

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Rangers Return to Fall Classic: Huge 3rd Inning Finishes Off Tigers