CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez followed one of the worst seasons of his 14-year major league career, with a postseason power surge.
asserted
Ramírez → follow → surge
The All-Star third baseman helped propel Cleveland into its third AL Championship Series since 2016 with an improbable two-run homer in the fourth inning of the Guardians’ 2-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 5 of thei4 AL Division Series.
asserted
baseman → help → Series
“With the way he performed the last two, you could tell he’s just like, ‘I got you.’
uncertain
I → perform → you
He put us on his back one more time,” manager Stephen Vogt said.
asserted
Vogt → put → back
Ramírez batted .235 during the regular season, the second-lowest average of his career, and missed 30 games in June and July after surgery to repair the broken hamate bone in his left hand.
asserted
Ramírez → bat → hand
Even after returning, Ramírez was still having problems with the hand and sat out some games due to inflammation.
asserted
Ramírez → return → inflammation
During the last two weeks of the regular season, Ramírez’s bat was beginning to show signs of life.
asserted
bat → begin → life
He had multi-hit games in five of his last nine and was 12 for 38.
asserted
He → have → 38
After going 0 for 6 with three strikeouts the first two games of the series, Ramírez went 5 for 12 with two homers and seven RBIs in the last three.
asserted
Ramírez → go → three
He had two-run homers in the last two games and made a series of key defensive plays in the two games at Chicago.
asserted
He → have → Chicago
“It’s just like we always talk about.
asserted
we → ’ → ’s
He’s one swing away from getting it going and I think every ball he put in play was hard the last three games and that’s just who he is,” Vogt said.
asserted
Vogt → ’ → play
“You don’t ever count him out.
asserted
You → count → him
You don’t ever worry about him.
asserted
You → worry → him
He’s going to show up when we need him.”
asserted
we → go → him
Ramírez’s defense wasn’t needed on Saturday night.
asserted
defense → need → night
Guardians pitchers struck out 21 strikeouts, the most in a nine-inning postseason game.
asserted
pitchers → strike → game
He didn’t record a put out on the nine balls the White Sox put in play.
asserted
Sox → record → play
“We’ve faced him a couple of times.
asserted
We → face → times
So we know he has a really good curveball.
asserted
he → know → curveball
I was able to get my legs and get a good contact,” Ramírez said through an interpreter.
asserted
Ramírez → get → interpreter
Players in the Guardians dugout thought Ramírez would at least have a double, but the ball just got over the wall near the right-field line.
asserted
ball → think → line
His sixth career postseason home run tied Albert Belle for third-most in franchise history.
asserted
run → tie → history
Ramírez homered on a pitch by Sean Burke 0.74 feet above ground, the lowest pitch hit for a postseason home run since tracking started in 2008, according to MLB Statcast.
uncertain
tracking → homer → Statcast
“Obviously, it came down to one pitch to Ramirez.
asserted
it → come → Ramirez
He’s a really good player.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
He’s probably going to be in the Hall of Fame some day,” Burke said.
asserted
Burke → go → Fame
“But it’s frustrating.”
asserted
it → ’ → ?
Ramírez admitted his focus may have been heightened.
uncertain
focus → admit → ?
“These games you want to do your best because it’s do or die.
asserted
it → want → best
You don’t win, you go home, and this team really wants to do the right things, and for me, that’s the thing,” he said.
asserted
he → win → me
Ramírez hopes to keep his offense going in the AL Championship Series against Tampa Bay, which opens Monday.
asserted
which → hop → Bay
Ramírez went 3 for 20 in five games against the Rays this season.
asserted
Ramírez → go → Rays
He has a career .252 average against the Reya with eight home runs and 28 RBIs.
asserted
He → have → runs
We all love him,” Cleveland starter Gavin Williams said.
asserted
Williams → love → him
“He always has that one moment all the time.
asserted
He → have → moment
We know what he’s going to do.”
asserted
he → know → what
The Aporia
