In the ninth inning of Thursday's Game 2, players who began their pro careers in southern West Virginia faced off.
Arthur Rhodes, a member of the 1988 Bluefield Orioles, came on to pitch for St. Louis.
Why? Because Rangers' star Josh Hamilton - who played in 1999 for nearby Princeton - was due up.
Lefty vs. lefty.
Hamilton delivered the sacrifice fly to tie the game, and the Rangers went on to win and knot the series.
Rhodes has been bouncing around professional baseball for 23 years - his first appearance came in a 27-inning marathon in Burlington, N.C. That was my first season covering the Appalachian League.
Rhodes reached the majors with Baltimore, and has played for numerous teams while finding his spot as a late-inning left-handed specialist.
He's still in the majors in his early 40s. His career shows to teach your kids to be lefthanded pitchers with either speed or good control. You can work as long as you want.
Hamilton overcame struggles in his career to a starring spot on a two-time American League champion.
They rode the busses in the Appalachian League 11 years apart. Thursday, they met in the crucial spotlight.
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