Derek Holland provided the latest twist, boosted by a pregame pep talk from his manager. The Texas lefty shut down the St. Louis Cardinals on two hits into the ninth inning, and the Rangers won 4-0 Sunday to even things at 2-all.

A day after Albert Pujols set a team record by scoring 16 runs in a postseason game, they never got close against Holland.

“When I came off the field, arm hairs are sticking up. It’s not like I have much, but man, it was tingly,” Holland said.

Rangers manager Ron Washington came to the mound after 8 1-3 innings following Holland’s second walk of the game. So close to a shutout, and with the crowd chanting his name, Holland pleaded his case, trying to talk his way into staying in.

“He was begging,” Washington said. Or, as Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler described it: “A lot of profanity, we sounded like sailors out there.”

Taken from:
Rangers beat Cardinals 4-0 in Game 4