ARLINGTON, TEXAS // So close to a World Series shutout, Derek Holland did everything he could, trying to convince Ron Washington, the Texas Rangers manager, to let him finish.
There they stood on the mound, two outs to go in the ninth inning, the pitcher pleading his case as the crowd chanted his name.
"He was begging," Washington said. Or, as the Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler described it: "A lot of profanity, we sounded like sailors out there."
Washington listened, then signalled for closer Neftali Feliz. Holland had done his job in Game 4, and then some. He had kept Albert Pujols in the ballpark and the Rangers in this Series.
In a title matchup that is getting more interesting with every game, Holland put the emphasis back on pitching. Given a pep talk by Washington minutes before the game, Holland threw two-hit ball for eight 1-3 innings to beat the St Louis Cardinals 4-0 on Sunday night and even things at 2-2.
Holland struck out seven, walked two and never was in trouble against a team that erupted for 16 runs the previous night. He came within two outs of pitching the first complete-game shutout in the World Series since Josh Beckett's effort for Florida to clinch the 2003 title at Yankee Stadium.
"I was very focused. I knew this was a big game for us," said Holland, who was 16-5 with 3.95 ERA and four shutouts in the regular season. "I had to step up and make sure I was prepared."
Hobbled Josh Hamilton put Texas ahead with an RBI double in the first inning. Then Mike Napoli broke it open with a three-run homer in the sixth that set off a hearty high-five in the front row between team president Nolan Ryan and the former US president George W Bush.
And just like that, for the first time since 2003, the World Series stood at two games apiece. Now the whole season is down to a best of three, with the outcome to be decided back at Busch Stadium.
Game 5 is on Monday night at Rangers Ballpark. It's a rematch of the opener, when Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter topped CJ Wilson.
A day after Pujols produced arguably the greatest hitting show in post-season history, tying Series records with three home runs, six RBIs and five hits during the Cardinals' romp, Holland emerged as the unlikely star.
Holland got a big cheer when he took the mound in the ninth and was still throwing 96mph. After he walked Rafael Furcal with one out, Washington strolled to the mound.
"I was begging to stay out there," Holland said. "I said, 'I'll give it everything I've got. I can get the double play.'
"When I came off the field my arm hair was sticking up — not like I have much."
Holland tipped his cap and waved to the fans as he walked off. His outing was the longest scoreless appearance by an AL starter in the Series since Andy Pettitte also went 8 1-3 at Atlanta in 1996.
Feliz took over and closed. He walked Allen Craig, then retired Pujols on a fly ball and struck out Matt Holliday to end it.
Pujols finished 0 for 4 and hit the ball out of the infield only once.
"I wanted him to see my 'A' game," Holland said.
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa gave credit to Holland's pitching effort.
"Well, I would just say he worked us over. Give him credit," he said. "Good pitching is always going to stop good hitting."
Holland was in tune all evening with Napoli, the catcher. Much better than the battery for the pre-game ceremony — Mr Bush tossed a wild pitch that glanced off the catcher's mitt Ryan wore.
"I should've gone with the regular glove," Ryan said.
The bounce-back meant that the Rangers managed to avoid consecutive losses for the first time since August 23-25, a streak that has kept them out of trouble in the post-season.
The Rangers also completed a Sunday sweep in the matchup of teams from St Louis and the Dallas area. Earlier in the afternoon, the Cowboys beat the Rams 34-7 right across the parking lots. Hamilton and Lance Berkman served as honorary captains for the pre-game coin toss, wearing their baseball uniforms.
Many fans might remember Holland from last year's World Series. He's the reliever who came in against San Francisco, walked his first three batters and promptly got pulled.
Maybe that guy was an impostor. Because this 25-year-old lefty was completely poised, with pinpoint control. Perhaps it was the talk he got from Washington near the dugout shortly before taking the mound.
Washington put both hands on Holland's shoulders and talked to him tenderly, like a father about to send his teenage son off to university. Holland kept nodding, and Washington finished up with a playful pat to Holland's cheek.
"It was just a general message that he's capable of going out there and keeping us in the ballgame. That's all it was," Washington said. "I talk with Derek like that all the time, it just happened to catch me on TV."
Added Holland: "He shows that he cares about all his players, and he definitely showed that when he talked to me."
After that, Holland was in total command in his first Series start, and improved to 3-0 life time in the post-season. The only hits he allowed were by Berkman: a double in the second and a single in the fifth. Holland got even later, getting Berkman to look at a strike three that left the St Louis star discussing the call with plate umpire Ron Kulpa.
Cardinals starter Edwin Jackson kept his team close despite a wild night. He walked seven, and eventually they caught up with him.
It was 1-0 when La Russa yanked Jackson after two one-out walks in the sixth and signalled for reliever Mitchell Boggs. Napoli was up, and the sell-out crowd chanted his name as he stepped into the batter's box.
Boggs stayed in the stretch for an extra beat while Furcal ducked behind Nelson Cruz from short stop. When Boggs finally threw a 95mph fastball with his first pitch, Napoli whacked it.
Napoli stood at the plate for a moment as the ball sailed deep, just inside the left field line. Boggs could only contort his body, seeing the game get out of hand.
Hamilton forced the Cardinals to play catch-up for the first time in a while. St Louis had scored first in 10 straight post-season games, one shy of the record set by Detroit during a span from 1972-84.
Elvis Andrus singled with one out in the Texas first and sped home when Hamilton doubled into the right field corner. The reigning AL MVP has been slowed by a strained groin, part of the reason he has not homered in 57 at-bats this post-season.
