The Kansas City Royals have made history with Friday's ALCS Game 1 win over the Orioles in 10 innings. They are the first team in MLB history to win 4 games in extras in a single postseason. After blowing a 4-0 lead Friday, they prevailed in extras, holding off the Orioles 8-6. Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas were the heroes on the night, going deep in the 10th.
The Royals got off to a fast start, but not with their speed, but with their power. Alcides Escobar hit his first home run of the postseason to give the Royals the 1-0 lead in the 3rd. After 2 singles and a walk, the Royals loaded the bases that same inning for Gordon. Gordon would break his bat, but send a pitch down the right-field line for a double that scored 3. The Royals were sitting pretty with James Shields on the mound, and a 4-0 lead.
The Orioles would respond quickly, just a half inning later, when Adam Jones singling in Nick Markakis who doubled to begin the inning. That cut their deficit to 4-1, and began the comeback. The Royals would get that run back in the 5th when Billy Butler knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly for a 5-1 lead.
Once again, the Orioles would strike back just a half inning later, with postseason hero Nelson Cruz doubling in a run to make it 5-2. Later that inning, Ryan Flaherty singled home 2 to cut the deficit to just 1, 5-4. After a scoreless 6th inning or the O's pitching staff, it was Alejandro De Aza's speed that tied the game, with an RBI infield single to short for a 5-5 score.
James Shields would last just 5 innings, pitching in back-to-back postseason games. after pitching the ALDS clinching game last Sunday. Shields gave up 4 runs to begin the O's comeback, on 10 hits, while striking out just 3. Chris Tillman, the O's ace, started his second straight Game 1, lasting just 4.1 inning against KC. He gave up the 5 runs, on 7 hits, walking 2, and striking out 3.
That 5-5 score would hold into the 9th, when reliever Zach Britton would walk the first 3 batters of the inning, loading the bases with nobody out. But after a short conversation on the mound, the O's closer would get out of the jam on a force out at home, and a double play ball off the bat of Butler. The Orioles could do nothing with this momentum in the bottom of the 9th, as Wade Davis struck out the side to send the game in to extras.
That is when Gordon would continue his big night, lining a solo shot to right field for a 6-5 Royals lead. It was his first home run of the postseason. Moustakas would follow just 3 batters later, smacking a 2-run homer to right-center field, making the score 8-5. The Orioles would attempt a comeback in the bottom half, as Delmon Young knocked in a run with a single to make it 8-6. Markakis would ground out the second, just 1 batter later, to end the game and give the Royals a 1-0 series lead.
Kansas City's first 3 postseason games went in to extras, prevailing in the Wild Card Game, and the first 2 games of the ALDS. Add in Friday night's extra-inning win and the Royals are a perfect 4-0 in that situation. Game 2 will take place Saturday afternoon at 4 with Yordano Ventura going for the Royals, and Bud Norris opposing him for the O's.
The Royals got off to a fast start, but not with their speed, but with their power. Alcides Escobar hit his first home run of the postseason to give the Royals the 1-0 lead in the 3rd. After 2 singles and a walk, the Royals loaded the bases that same inning for Gordon. Gordon would break his bat, but send a pitch down the right-field line for a double that scored 3. The Royals were sitting pretty with James Shields on the mound, and a 4-0 lead.
The Orioles would respond quickly, just a half inning later, when Adam Jones singling in Nick Markakis who doubled to begin the inning. That cut their deficit to 4-1, and began the comeback. The Royals would get that run back in the 5th when Billy Butler knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly for a 5-1 lead.
Once again, the Orioles would strike back just a half inning later, with postseason hero Nelson Cruz doubling in a run to make it 5-2. Later that inning, Ryan Flaherty singled home 2 to cut the deficit to just 1, 5-4. After a scoreless 6th inning or the O's pitching staff, it was Alejandro De Aza's speed that tied the game, with an RBI infield single to short for a 5-5 score.
James Shields would last just 5 innings, pitching in back-to-back postseason games. after pitching the ALDS clinching game last Sunday. Shields gave up 4 runs to begin the O's comeback, on 10 hits, while striking out just 3. Chris Tillman, the O's ace, started his second straight Game 1, lasting just 4.1 inning against KC. He gave up the 5 runs, on 7 hits, walking 2, and striking out 3.
That 5-5 score would hold into the 9th, when reliever Zach Britton would walk the first 3 batters of the inning, loading the bases with nobody out. But after a short conversation on the mound, the O's closer would get out of the jam on a force out at home, and a double play ball off the bat of Butler. The Orioles could do nothing with this momentum in the bottom of the 9th, as Wade Davis struck out the side to send the game in to extras.
That is when Gordon would continue his big night, lining a solo shot to right field for a 6-5 Royals lead. It was his first home run of the postseason. Moustakas would follow just 3 batters later, smacking a 2-run homer to right-center field, making the score 8-5. The Orioles would attempt a comeback in the bottom half, as Delmon Young knocked in a run with a single to make it 8-6. Markakis would ground out the second, just 1 batter later, to end the game and give the Royals a 1-0 series lead.
Kansas City's first 3 postseason games went in to extras, prevailing in the Wild Card Game, and the first 2 games of the ALDS. Add in Friday night's extra-inning win and the Royals are a perfect 4-0 in that situation. Game 2 will take place Saturday afternoon at 4 with Yordano Ventura going for the Royals, and Bud Norris opposing him for the O's.
