TORONTO — The Texas Rangers hand out their own player of the game award in the clubhouse, a replica world heavyweight title belt, that sat prominently — and unexpectedly — in the locker of Hanser Alberto six hours after the first pitch of Game 2 of their American League Division Series.
The 22-year-old reserve infielder entered the series with two at bats since the end of August, only saw the field because of an injury to third baseman Adrian Beltre in Game 1, made an error that cost his club two unearned runs in the second inning and became hero with a borrowed bat he didn’t ask to use.
That error, however, was just one-seventh of the way into a playoff classic in which Alberto lined a game-winning single into right-center off Jays reliever LaTroy Hawkins as Texas won 6-4 in 14 innings to take a 2-0 series lead.