The Kansas City Royals are going back to the World Series, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 in Game 6 of the ALCS and winning the series 4-2.
The Royals got off to a hot start against David Price. Ben Zobrist started the scoring with a solo homer in the first inning, and in the second, Mike Moustakas followed up with one of his own that controversially was upheld following a replay review.
Kansas City threatened again in the third, putting two men on with two out, but couldn’t score.
Toronto’s offense staggered through the first three innings of the game. After Ben Revere lead the game off with a double, Yordano Ventura set down the next ten Blue Jays hitters in a row. That streak ended when Jose Bautista came up in the fourth and launched a solo homer, cutting Kansas City’s lead to 2-1.
After Price struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth, Ventura walked the first two Jays hitters in the fifth. But Russell Martin and Kevin Pillar didn’t move from their bases, as the Jays went fly out-fly out-line out to come away empty handed. In the bottom of the fifth, Alex Rios singled with one out, stole second with two outs, and was stranded by his teammates.
Ventura’s night ended in the sixth after he allowed a one-out double to Edwin Encarnacion. Kelvin Herrera relieved him, struck out Chris Colabello, and forced Troy Tulowitzki to fly out to end the frame. Price sailed through his half of the sixth, and Herrera set the Jays down in the seventh without missing a beat.
The Royals offense did some damage in the bottom of the seventh. Moustakas led the frame off with a single, and after Price retired the next two batters (thanks in part to a fantastic catch from Revere), he was relieved by Aaron Sanchez. Sanchez immediately allowed an RBI single to Rios, upping the Royals’ lead to 3-1 and putting them closer to a second straight pennant.
Ryan Madson took over from Herrera in the eighth, and disaster struck. After Revere reached on an infield single, Madson struck out Donaldson to bring up Bautista, who dumped a pitch deep into the Kansas City night, tying the game at three.
Madson was pulled after walking Encarnacion and replaced by Wade Davis, who retired Colabello and Tulowitzki to get out of the jam.
Then, the heavens opened up and the tarp was pulled onto the field. A 41-minute rain delay ensued, throwing each manager’s bullpen usage into chaos. John Gibbons went with his closer, Roberto Osuna, for the bottom of the eighth. He walked Lorenzo Cain to lead off the inning, and Eric Hosmer followed up with a single down the right field line that ended up scoring a blazing Cain all the way from first base.
Osuna stopped the bleeding at one run, but Toronto’s season would be down to the ninth inning.
The Jays very nearly ended up taking the lead in the inning. Davis surprisingly took the hill despite the long delay, and immediately allowed a single to Martin to begin the frame. Dalton Pompey came in as a pinch runner, and stole second *and* third base before Davis walked Pillar. But despite this golden opportunity, Toronto couldn’t tie the game or take the lead. Dioner Navarro struck out for the first out as Pillar stole second. Revere struck out following a couple of borderline calls. And then Donaldson grounded out to Moustakas, ending a fine year for the Blue Jays with one last defeat.
Price and Ventura both pitched well for their respective teams, earning no decisions for their efforts. Price allowed three runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out eight and walking one. Ventura gave up one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings, punching out five and walking a pair.
Toronto had opportunities to win this game, but went 0/12 with runners in scoring position. Hell, the Royals only went 1/6 with runners in scoring position themselves, but the baserunning of Lorenzo Cain proved to be the different maker in the eighth inning.
Alcides Escobar was named ALCS MVP despite going just 1/4 in Game 6. For the series, he hit .478/.481/.652 with six runs scored and five RBI.
The Mets and Royals will kick off the World Series on Tuesday in Kansas City. Probable pitchers haven’t been announced yet for any of the games.
