The Royals kept it close, but once again came up big in the clutch in their 6-4 win over the Orioles in Game 2. Alcides Escobar was the hero, with the go-ahead RBI double in the 9th that broke a 4-4 tie. Lorenzo Cain went 4-5 on the night, also knocking in a run in the 9th, and paying tremendous defense in center field. Orioles' closer Zach Britton struggle for the second consecutive night, giving up the go-ahead runs in the 9th.
Bud Norris got the call, after pitching the Orioles ALDS clinching game against the Tigers, but got off to a slow start. Norris surrendered 3 consecutive hits in the 1st, culminating with Eric Hosmer's 2-run single for an early 2-0 Royals advantage. The O's cut that lead in half in the 2nd when Caleb Joseph's sacrifice fly made it 2-1.
The Royals would extend their lead back to 2 when Billy Butler knocked in a run with a double down the right field line in the 3rd. That 3-1 lead wouldn't last long, as Adam Jones lined his 1st home run of the postseason to left filed, a 2-run shot, to tie the game at 3. Yordano Ventura surrendered that game-tying shot, but would leave the game early with shoulder tightness. Ventura would last just 5.2 innings, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits, striking out 3, and walking 3.
That 4th run off of Ventura came in the 5th, when Nelson Cruz grounded in to a fielders choice to tie the game at 4. This was after Mike Moustakas connected with his 2nd home run in as many days in the 4th to give the Royals the lead back. The 4-4 tie would hold all the way to the 9th, before Britton would struggle again out of the pen.
After giving up a leadoff single to Omar Infante, and a sacrifice bunt, Britton would face the Royals' leadoff hitter with the go-ahead run in scoring position. Escobar came to the plate and won the battle, grounding a double down the right field line to score Infante. This gave the Royals the 5-4 lead, but Cain's big night at the plate wasn't over. The Royals' centerfielder would single home Escobar for an insurance run for the Royals.
That 6-4 lead was enough for closer Greg Holland to shut the game down, after giving up one single. The Royals take their 2-0 series lead back home for Game 3, which will take place Monday night. Jeremy Guthrie will toe the slab for KC, while Wei-Yin Chen will go or the O's, looking to avoid the dreaded 3-0 series deficit.
Bud Norris got the call, after pitching the Orioles ALDS clinching game against the Tigers, but got off to a slow start. Norris surrendered 3 consecutive hits in the 1st, culminating with Eric Hosmer's 2-run single for an early 2-0 Royals advantage. The O's cut that lead in half in the 2nd when Caleb Joseph's sacrifice fly made it 2-1.
The Royals would extend their lead back to 2 when Billy Butler knocked in a run with a double down the right field line in the 3rd. That 3-1 lead wouldn't last long, as Adam Jones lined his 1st home run of the postseason to left filed, a 2-run shot, to tie the game at 3. Yordano Ventura surrendered that game-tying shot, but would leave the game early with shoulder tightness. Ventura would last just 5.2 innings, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits, striking out 3, and walking 3.
That 4th run off of Ventura came in the 5th, when Nelson Cruz grounded in to a fielders choice to tie the game at 4. This was after Mike Moustakas connected with his 2nd home run in as many days in the 4th to give the Royals the lead back. The 4-4 tie would hold all the way to the 9th, before Britton would struggle again out of the pen.
After giving up a leadoff single to Omar Infante, and a sacrifice bunt, Britton would face the Royals' leadoff hitter with the go-ahead run in scoring position. Escobar came to the plate and won the battle, grounding a double down the right field line to score Infante. This gave the Royals the 5-4 lead, but Cain's big night at the plate wasn't over. The Royals' centerfielder would single home Escobar for an insurance run for the Royals.
That 6-4 lead was enough for closer Greg Holland to shut the game down, after giving up one single. The Royals take their 2-0 series lead back home for Game 3, which will take place Monday night. Jeremy Guthrie will toe the slab for KC, while Wei-Yin Chen will go or the O's, looking to avoid the dreaded 3-0 series deficit.
