TORONTO — A giant, glittering belt with the inscription “Heavyweight Champion of the World” sat in the locker of Hanser Alberto, a little known rookie infielder making only his sixth start for the Texas Rangers.
The belt is awarded by the Rangers to the star of each win in a brief postgame ceremony in the clubhouse. After a drawn-out, 14-round bout with the Toronto Blue Jays, Alberto truly earned the honor.
Alberto was in the lineup because Adrian Beltre, the leader and best player on the team, was unable to contribute because of a back injury he sustained in Game 1 on Thursday.