Did Creed curse the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of the ALCS?

As the Texas Rangers made a magical run to their first ALCS since 2011, they did so with an unusual — or all-too-familiar, for those of us whose adolescence coincided with the late 90s and early 00s — soundtrack: the Christian rock band Creed, whom the team took to bumping in the clubhouse before and after games.

So, with the team coming back home to Arlington up 2-0 and ready to bury the Houston Astros for good in Game 3, they decided to pull out all the stops. First, there was a hype video set to Creed’s “Are You Ready,” off their diamond-selling 1999 album Human Clay.

Then, the team made sure that the band showed up for the game, complete with their own Rangers unis.

But while it may have seemed like all fun and games at the time, we fear that Texas may have unwittingly loosed something terrible onto Globe Life Park. Because for the first time all month, the Rangers actually lost, 8-5, with Max Scherzer getting knocked around and Yordan Alvarez continuing to terrify Texas pitchers.

Coincidence? Maybe. But facts don’t care about feelings, and the facts are as follow. The Rangers’ record at playoff games in which Creed is not in attendance: 7-0. The Rangers’ record at playoff games in which Creed is in attendance: 7-1. We’re not saying the Baseball Gods hate nu metal, but we’re also not not saying it. No word as of yet as to whether the band plans to return to Globe Life Park for Game 4, but if we were Bruce Bochy, we’d be locking the doors.