Texas Rangers celebrate advancing to the ALCS for the first time since 2011
ARLINGTON, Texas - The Texas Rangers advanced to the ALCS on Tuesday night by completing a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles.
The Rangers have yet to lose a game in the playoffs.
After the game, there was plenty of champagne and beer to go around.
FOX 4's Jeff Kolb was in the middle of the celebration talking to players after the big 7-1 win. Their one of the main message: We aren't done yet.
Rangers rookie Evan Carter has been one of the standout stars of the playoffs for the team.
He has only been in the big leagues for a little over a month, but says he's having the time of his life.
"This is unbelievable, man. This is the most exciting moment of my baseball career," Carter said. "We're not done yet, we stil got 8 more to go."
The 21-year-old Carter was soaked with beer during the interview.
He is hitting .429 in the postseason, but says after an up and down season the whole team is clicking at the right time.
"I wouldn't want to pitch to any of us right now this is really fun," Carter said.
Rangers GM Chris Young, a Highland Park native, had a bit of playoff success as a player, winning the World Series with the Royals in 2015. Young says he is enjoying the ride watching the team he helped build.
"To stand here and celebrate and watch these guys day in, day out and fight the way they do. It's been worth all the hard work and the pain that we've been through," said Young.
Young called the team winners.
The general manager was also behind the addition of playoff-tested manager Bruce Bochy, traveling to Nashville to convince him to come out of retirement to take the job.
"It was the best trip to Nashville I've ever had and ever will have. He's just a special person," said Young.
Young also showed love to the Rangers fans who packed the park and were loud when it counted most.
"I grew up here. I love this community. I love DFW. I love the Rangers, and to see our fans get behind us and elevate us and push us to victory it is just the best," Young said.
In the next round, all eyes turn to two injured Rangers pitchers who could be making their return.
Max Scherzer, the big addition to the club at the trade deadline, has been on the injured list with a bad shoulder.
He has progressed to the point where he is throwing to batters and could be added to the ALCS roster.
"I just wanna get back out there," Scherzer said.
Scherzer said that Tuesday was the first day that he finally felt like normal since his injury.
He will pitch in a simulated game on Wednesday and see how he feels.
"I feel good about it. I feel good about what I can do in the future here, but I need to throw a sim game and get out of it," Scherzer said.
Rangers rookie third baseman Josh Jung says after a rough patch which included losing the AL West on the final day of the season the team is looking to "suffocate" opposing pitchers.
"No matter what we're going through we are going to keep kicking, we're going to keep fighting," said Jung. "Seattle really was just like a shot to the face for us all. It's like, hey, it's not going to be given to you, you have to go out and take it."
Jung thanked the fans for being loud throughout the game.
"When I can't hear the pitch count in my ear you know it is loud," said Jung.
The Rangers will face either the Minnesota Twins or Houston Astros in the next round.
Jung said a showdown with the Astros would be huge for the state.
"The rivalry would be a lot of fun," Jung said.
If the Astros win on Wednesday afternoon they will face the Rangers in the next round.
The Twins win, the teams will play a deciding Game 5 on Friday.
The Rangers will travel to the winner's stadium for the first two games of the ALCS.
Game 1 will be this Sunday.