Postgame
Well, what can you say. Manager Ned Yost is a hero and his Royals are on their way to a showdown with the Baltimore Orioles in the best-of-seven-games American League Championship Series. The Royals are hot, and tonight, the Angels were more-or-less neutralized by James Shields, the KC-D and piles and piles of timely hits.
We have a great match-up between two deserving AL teams heading our way starting on Friday, and we’ll have live coverage of the San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals on Monday. Until then, goodnight.
Updated
As I said: Yesterday was Katy Perry Day in sports. Today was the Day Of Our Lorde. https://t.co/iKKDSFLPIy @LengelDavid
— Bunter Felt (@HunterFelt) October 6, 2014
And you just know Liz, Charles, Harry and the other one are just enjoying this one over in Buckingham Palace right now, as late as it is.
Angels 3-8 Royals, Final
TROUT STRIKES OUT SWINGING! THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS HAVE SWEPT THE 98 WIN LOS ANGELES ANGELS!
KC mob the field, George Brett has that proud father look up in the suites, and their fans, long starved of a winner, rejoice. HALLELUJAH!
Updated
Angels 3-8 Royals, top 9th
They are on their feet at Kauffman Stadium, long a center for prodigious losing, n0w the home of winners - the Kansas City Royals, say it again....that’s right.
They’re two outs away now...
...or is it one - Omar Infante fields Calhoun’s grounder to second base - BARE HANDED JUST FOR FUN! WTF!
Two down. Here comes Mike Trout....fans up in the light rain...
Updated
Wait, there will be baseball ending before midnight? @LengelDavid
— Bunter Felt (@HunterFelt) October 6, 2014
Shhhhhhhh!
Angels 3-8 Royals, top 9th
Ron Darling of TBS TV here in the US says Holland has thrown five innings against LA this season and struck out 11. That is a lot.
Pinch-hitter Hank Conger is #12. He can’t come close to matching up with Holland. Can Calhoun? He’s up next.
Angels 3-8 Royals, bottom 8th
Mike Moustakas just his a ball far - I mean really far, like outer galaxy far. But it’s foul, and so it’s just a loud and long strike. Then he hits the polar opposite, a knubber of a ground ball to short that’s easy for Aybar. One down.
Greg Holland warms up in the bullpen, getting set to try and close this out.
Meanwhile, Escobar is called out on strikes by Rasmus, who is STILL pitching...
Two down, here’s Dyson who grounds out to second and nearly beats the throw from Kendrick.
But never mind that, we’re heading to the ninth inning with KC three outs away from booking a voluntary trip to Baltimore for the American League Championship Series!
Angels 3-8 Royals, top 8th
Swing and a miss, Cron is gone, and so are the Angels and that mini-threat. Their 2014 season is down to three measly outs. Trout could be the last Angel to bat this season - he’s due up third in the Angels ninth.
RUN! Angels 3-8 Royals, top 8th
A big, strong cut from Freese but it hits nothing. Aybar swipes second in the play, basically that’s defensive indifference as no one on the Royals seemed to care. Here is Josh Hamilton, looking for his first hit.
No first hit for Hamilton, but there is an RBI. Kendrick comes home. Two down, Aybar on second and Cron at the plate...
Cain could have caught that but he's trying to be sporting. @LengelDavid
— Bunter Felt (@HunterFelt) October 6, 2014
And mighty nice of him. By the way, Wade Davis is on in place of Herrera...he’s been greeted rudely as they say.
Angels 2-8 Royals, top 8th
Back to action, and there is some. Kendrick laces a gapper to the wall in right field - it’s a lead off double and just what LA needed if they are going to get anything going.
Let’s see what Aybar can do - he had three of the six hits off Shields in this game.
....and he’s got himself an infield hit on a little roller to second base!
First and second, nobody out for Freese now. This is kinda it...
To cheer me up, this guy came on my TV. I love this guy. Really, I do.
Man this ad is so amazing - I can’t really explain why it captivates me so, but it does. Seriously.
Aplogies in advance.
Angels 2-8 Royals, bottom 7th
Gordon facing Rasmus, who, and get this, is back to pitch the eighth. Amazing isn’t it? Gordon pops out to second base. One out, here’s Perez, who pops out to Aybar at shortstop.
I have to say, Aybar’s body language is awful...but part of me cant blame him. His team is going home after 98 wins, very very soon unless they can launch some comeback out of nowhere.
Infante lifts a fly ball to right field that’s tracked down by Calhoun in foul ground.
Well, a routine inning for the Angels...and how about that.
Updated
7th inning stretch
Here’s a Take Me Out to the Ballgame from 1990, when men were men, turf was turf, fountains were fountains, and the Royals sucked.
Angels 2-8 Royals, top 7th
Pujols pops to Cain who is now in right field (did I mention that? No.) Dyson is now in center field, FYI...I didn’t mention that either.
Never mind, Pujols is done, and so are the Angels in the seventh inning. They have six outs left before Arte Moreno loses it. Can you say Max Scherzer?
Angels 2-8 Royals, top 7th
Herrera is easy like Sunday evening - Calhoun strikes out, Trout hits a little nothing to a waiting Omar Infante over at second. Two down for Pujols...
James Shields
If your name is James, and you play in a big game, well...by now you know the rest. It was a big spot and James did his job tonight, no doubt. Here’s the line:
6IP 6H 2R 2ER 2BB 6K 2HR
The homers were solo shots, exactly how you like it if you’re the Royals. Now Kelvin Hererra is on to try and preserve a healthy lead.
Angels 2-8 Royals, bottom 6th
Butler waves at a curveball and he’s down on strikes, stranding three from KC. The Angels have nine precious outs left to play with...
Angels 2-8 Royals, bottom 6th
Rasmus walks Hosmer and that means the bases are chock-full-of-Royals. Here’s Butler, looking to put the bullet in the brain.
Angels 2-8 Royals, bottom 6th
He’s running, but it’s to second on a ground ball by Cain - Dyson is retired on the force out, so now there’s runners at the corners and two down for Eric Hosmer, who can wrap this thing up right now, that is, if this thing isn’t already done and dusted.
Updated
Angels 2-8 Royals, bottom 6th
Jarrod Dyson pinch runs for Aoki. He’ll be off and running faster than you can say “here comes Mike Scioscia”.
This. This is going to happen. The Royals are going to be in the ALCS aren't they? @LengelDavid
— Bunter Felt (@HunterFelt) October 6, 2014
It’s TBS’ fantasy match-up, just like they drew it up.
Updated
RUN! Angels 2-8 Royals, bottom 6th
Aoki slaps an RBI base hit up the middle - it scores Infante and now it’s a six run game! Here come Scioscia, who has made the trip so many times tonight you can see the path between the dugout and the mound.
Cory Rasmus is the new pitcher - he’ll face Cain with two on and one out.
Angels 2-7 Royals, bottom 6th
Kevin Jepsen is the seventh man to pitch for the Angels tonight, Scioscia is out to get his guys some work before Cactus League games next spring.
He issues a lead off walk to Omar Infante, a guy who has yet to have a base hit of any kind in this series, so that makes a lot of sense.
Then Moustakas, who homered in the fourth inning, pops to center before Escobar cracks a seeing eye single through the hole on the left side.
First and second now with one out and the hear of the order coming uip. Aoki is next.
Surely Scoscia will make a move soon - why not get Jered Weaver up just for fun.
Angels 2-7 Royals, top 6th
Shields rears back and fires past Iannetta! A huge out and the hurler walks off the diamond with a well deserved, testosterone filled swagger.
The Angles have none of this swagger right now.
Angels 2-7 Royals, top 6th
Hamilton lifts one to center, easy for Cain and that’s another fail for the Halos expensive left fielder, a shadow of his former self.
Now here comes Cron, who they pronounce as Crohn, but in my head it’s Crahn, as in Kahn, as in Wrath of Khan...and I’m not even a Trekkie.
There’s no wrath in this at-bat, but there is a walk. That means if Iannetta can get a hold of one here, we’ll have a two-run ballgame.
Dave Eiland is out for a chat with Shields, who is at 101 pitches now. This is almost definitely his last batter.
Angels 2-7 Royals, top 6th
Erick Aybar - a lead off base hit to center field and not evern Lorenzo Cain can grab that one.
Here’s David Freese, who as well all know has a knack for the dramatic postseason hit.
Aybar dives back to first after a Perez snap throw from the catchers position on the 0-2 pitch. He’s safe, but Freese is out after waving at a ball away, his fifth of the evening.
Here’s Hamilton batting with one out and one on.
Angels 2-7 Royals, bottom 5th
Jason Grilli is on in relief of Salas becoming the sixth Angels pitcher to play tonight.
The crowd cheers “Billy Butler! Billy Butler!” and that can only be because Billy Butler is at the plate.
There’s a very nice Midwestern sign that reads “HIT A HOMER BILLY”, and he nearly does, skying to deep right center field before Calhoun tracks it down for the first out.
Here’s Gordon, who 1-2 tonight with that big first inning, three-run double to his name. He goes down looking, a pellet on the right corner of the plate. Two down.
Now Perez. He pops to a charging Mike Trout in center field. Inning over - to the sixth...
Updated
The good news: Royals and Angels might not go extra innings. *Baseball Twitter cheers* But now it's raining *everyone boos* @LengelDavid
— Bunter Felt (@HunterFelt) October 6, 2014
If I ignore it it’s not real.
Angels 2-7 Royals, top 5th
Pujols hits softly to left center field, it’s hanging up there - here comes Cain - he dives, fully extended to his right and makes a DIVING CATCH! Tremendous play there for the second out! The crowd at the K are hysterical - and how about this...
CAIN DOES IT AGAIN, AN ENCORE! Kendricks’ drive to center is picked up by a sliding Cain and there’s web-gems all over the outfield!
Side retired and a morally deflating inning for Anaheim!
Angels 2-7 Royals, top 5th
Pujols is first pitch swinging, fould out of play. Then he lays off the next Shields pitch before fouling the next pitch off to the left side. So he’s in the hole, 1-2.
Next pitch is away and in the dirt. Just a huge at bat here with two on and one out...count is even at two. Next pitch, another foul, this one Pujols just got a piece of it...
Updated
Angels 2-7 Royals, top 5th
Shields throws over to first to keep Calhoun, because he’ll be off and running down five runs for sure.
Whoa!!!! High and very very tight to Trout making it 3-0 and that nearly hit him.
Shields evens the count with a pitch on the corner and a foul to the left side.
The payoff pitch is in the dirt and here comes Albert Pujols, who hit his 19th postseason home run (that’s ridiculous) earlier.
Angels 2-7 Royals, top 5th
Shields has 66 pitches through four, and retires Iannetta in two, inducing a ground out to second. One down.
Here is Calhoun, who picks up his fifth hit of the series, a little floater to cetner field. One on, one out for Trout - and this is a big at-bat right here, for the Angels and Subway restaurants.
Angels 2-7 Royals, bottom 4th
Salas has Hosmer in the hole 0-2 before getting the first baseman to chase high heat - that’s a big out and keeps LA within reach.
Updated
RUN! Angels 2-7 Royals, bottom 4th
Cain lifts it to left, that’s deep enough for Escobar to tag up and score. Aoki also tags up and takes second with some super aggressive baserunning.
That will do it for Morin - Scioscia is out to get him with the sizzling Eric Hosmer heading to the plate. He’ll face Fernando Salas...
Angels 2-6 Royals, bottom 4th
Escobar moves over to second when Iannetta can’t find a Morin curve ball in the dirt. It’s raining and pouring on the Angels right now...
Then Morin loses his balance on the mound while trying to step off the rubber - the unfortunately named Rusty Kuntz is barking at the umps from his position as first base coach - he wanted a balk called.
Aoki, a ground ball hit slowly towards second - he’s flying up the line, and they have no chance to get him! Escobar thought about coming home on the play, but stayed on third.
The infield hit means runners at the corners for Lorenzo Cain - I’d say Mike Sciscia wouldn’t mind a double play ball right here....
HOME RUN! Angels 2-6 Royals, bottom 4th
Mike Moustakas, or as he’s known in KC, Moooooooooose, hits a LASER LINE DRIVE TO RIGHT FIELD! It’s a solo shot that wipes out the Pujols home run, and the Angels bullpen is up yet again.
There’s more - Escobar has a knock to left - so he’s on first with one down and Aoki at the plate.
...we’re not going to give up, we’re going to go down fighting.
-Speaking to TBS TV in the US, Angels bench coach Dino Ebel, whose name is very interesting.
Updated
Angels 2-5 Royals, top 4th
Shields is ahead on Cron 0-2 bringing the K crowd to their feet - Cron, waves at a ball away! Strike three! That will do it in the fourth for the Halos!
Big spot there for Shields who bends but doesn’t break!
Angels 2-5 Royals, top 4th
The K is not nearly as joyous here - they know their Royals have some trouble to dig out of. Hamilton is in the hole, 1-2 to Shields, then there’s a changeup in the dirt, and then another changeup that bounces low.
Full count - Hamilton fouls one off - the crowd exhales....
Here’s the pitch - it’s a ground ball to first - Hosmer has it, fires to Escobar to get one, the throw to first is not in time.
So Aybar moves to third and there are runners at the corners with two down now for Cron.
Beware Cron.
Angels 2-5 Royals, top 4th
Freese is grazed by a fastball, and that’s enough to bring out the Royals pitching coach, Dave Eiland, out for a chat.
There’s one away, two on and Josh Hamilton at the plate. I know what the old Hamilton would do here...
Angels 2-5 Royals, top 4th
Kendrick is blown away as Shields attempts to restore order. One out for Aybar.
The Angels shortstop hits a low gapper to right-center field, and suddenly, the Halos are starting to hit here...watch this space.
HOME RUN! Angels 2-5 Royals, top 4th
We interrupt this blog to bring you Angels offense. Albert Pujols, hits SHOT TO LEFT - high and far, up and over the fence and the Angels are within three with one swing of the bat!
Join us!
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Angels 1-5 Royals, bottom 3rd
TBS say the Royals are 48-2 when leading by four or more runs in a game. No word on what the Royals record are when the other team doesn’t show up.
Meanwhile, Perez is down swinging, inning over, a costly one for LA.
The Scioscia drinking game is you take a shot for every bullpen move until any of them make sense. @LengelDavid
— Bunter Felt (@HunterFelt) October 6, 2014
He could do this blindfolded surely.
Angels 1-5 Royals, bottom 3rd
Gordon taps to second base, and that moves Butler to third. Here comes Scioscia to signal for Angels pitcher numero quatro tonight. The next victim is righty (of course) Mike Morin - he’ll face Molina west, also known as Salvador Perez, with two down.
Cue that organ.
Updated
Billy Butler steals second base!
This is Ned Yost the mad scientist just messing with everyone...or the Angels don’t hold him on and Yost says “f*&k it”.
Angels 1-5 Royals, bottom 3rd
Santiago was supposed to eat innings, but he’s in real trouble now. He walks Butler, he second free pass of the inning, and now here is Gordon who had the base clearing double in the first.
SOMEONE CALL THE COPS. ERIC HOSMER JUST MURDERED A BASEBALL AGAIN.
— Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) October 6, 2014
Is it too early to talk MVP? Um, yeah, probably. I’ll stop now.
HOME RUN! Angels 1-5 Royals, bottom 3rd
And here’s Hosmer back at the plate after rounding the bases! A HME RUN! He UNLOADS to center field! It’s some four rows back in the stands on a 2-0 pitch that gives KC a four run lead! I guess KC have no pop at all.
It gets late early out there....
Angels 1-3 Royals, bottom 3rd
Aoki at the plate, and now he’s at first. A four-pitch walk brings Angels pitching coach Mike Butcher out for a chat.
Now it’s Cain, who shows bunt, twice, and pulls back, twice, on balls out of the strikezone. He doesn’t offer on the next pitch, high and somewhat tight but called for a strike. Then Santiago misses low and inside and he’s on the verge of walking the first two batters of the inning.
He delivers, a called strike.....now we have a full, 3-2, count.
The pitch from Santiago is popped up in the infield - easy for Pujols over at first base, and that’s an important out.
Here’s Hosmer at the plate.
Angels 1-3 Royals, top 3rd
Iannetta pops it way up to the left side, Escobar is under it, one away. Now LA are back to the top of their lineup and that means Kole Calhoun - he hitts a little Billy Buckner kind of roller, and Hosmer picks it up, just like your grandma can, and steps on irst bsase for the out.
Two down for Trout who had the big hit in the top of the first inning. It looked a little something like this:
This time he grounds out to second, inning over.
@LengelDavid Did I hear right: the Angels have only one lefty in their pen?
— Glenn E (@Teng_Solanne) October 6, 2014
You did indeed. Kind of crazy isn’t it?
@HunterFelt @LengelDavid We'll be here a while.
— Beth Richardson (@Bethrich52) October 6, 2014
NO!!!!!!
Angels 1-3 Royals, bottom 2nd
Santiago faces the ninth batter in the KC lineup, and that’s Mike Moustakas. He hits a hard liner to the left side of the infield but there’s David Freese, diving to make the strop before throwing over to first for the out.
So there’s two down now and Escobar is at the plate trying to get a little two out rally going, but instead he lines to short, right at Aybar, who has it to retire the side.
Angels 1-3 Royals, bottom 2nd
Omar Infante watches a called third strike go by, and here is Scoscia again, walking on to the field for the second time in two innings to make another switch.
It’s going to be Hector Santiago coming in to pitch for LA - he is more of a starting pitcher and presumably in for the long haul. Cue the organ...
Updated
C.J. Wilson
Here is the “line” on Wilson, who was pitching with a very very short leash from Angels manager Mike Scoscia, and rightly so.
0.2IP 3H 3R 3ER 1BB, 1SO, 0HR
That little appearance will leave Wilson with a mighty fat ERA of 40.50, which is closer to my daughters bowling score than anything else.
Updated
Angels 1-3 Royals, top 2nd
The crowd wanted a ball high and away to be strike three, but they had to wait just on more pitch to get what they wanted - Cron takes a big hack at high heat and heads back to the dugout empty handed.
A lead off base hit is for naught, and here come KC looking for more.
Angels 1-3 Royals, top 2nd
Aybar takes off for second after a Shields pitch bounces off of Perez - that’s a passed ball and a runner in scoring position now with still nobody out and Freese batting with the count full.
Shields pulls the string a little bit on the former Cardinals third baseman - he whiffs and is down on strikes. One down now for Josh Hamilton, who like most of the lineup is struggling badly.
That’s what we call a trend, and it continues with a broken bat fly ball to right field, caught by Aoki. Two down and here’s Cron to try and plate Aybar.
Cron, who has a kind scary barbarian type name, is at the plate looking for food.
I mentioned this morning: Yesterday in sports was Katy Perry Day. Today is the Day of Our Lorde. #Royals @LengelDavid
— Bunter Felt (@HunterFelt) October 6, 2014
@LengelDavid who knew Butler could motor like that. That was courting trouble, where you take trouble for a limo ride and dine 5 stars
— Glenn E (@Teng_Solanne) October 6, 2014
Angels 1-3 Royals, top 2nd
Aybar hits a drive to center - Cain is tracking it, diving, fully extended and he traps the ball! Aybar stays at first thanks to Cain’s all or nothing defensive play and here come the Angels. Mr David Freese at the plate for LA.
Angels 1-3 Royals, bottom 1st
Pestano gets Salvador Perez to fly out to Iannetta, the catcher, and an eventful first inning has come to a close.
Big Billy Butler almost died scoring all the way from first on the play, which is actually a double with Gordon moving over to third on the throw home trying to nail the DH.
The new pitcher is Vinnie Pestano, in for Wilson who did not get out of the first - that’s what five years and $77m buys you these days.
RUNS! Angels 1-3 Royals, bottom 1st
A curve ball low to start off Gordon...then another hook right down Broadway. So it’s 1-1 in this lefty-on-lefty match-up.
Meanwhile, thre is action already in the Angels pen, because as Tommy Lasorda said, “I can f*&k around right now....”
Gordon fouls one off and then Wilson misses in the dirt to even the count at 2-2. Swung on, fly ball - it’s deep - DEEP TO LEFT CENTER FIELD AND OFF THE WALL!
HERE COMES AOKI TO SCORE, HERE COMES CAIN! BUTLER IS COMING AROUND - HERE’S THE THROW - SAFE!!!!!!!!
It’s a base clearing triple for Alex Gordon, and that will do it for Wilson, who is being pulled!
Updated
Angels 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st
Hosmer isn’t about to swing on 3-0 - do you know who KC’s manager is?
That’s ball four, and we’ve got the bases loaded now for Alex Gordon. It’s been a busy first inning eh?
Angels 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st
Hosmer lets the curve ball go - he thinks it’s outside, but the umpire Jeff Nelson disagrees. That’s a big strikeout for Wilson, who faces the DH, Billy Butler now, bidding to get out of the first inning alive.
Angels 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st
Someone get Wolf Blitzer, we’ve got a situation (yeah, I said it - so what?). Back-to-back opposite field base hits for KC - Cain slaps it to through the right side, and we’ve got runners on first and second with just one down for Hosmer, who had the big 11th inning blast in Game 1.
Angels 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st
So here is C.J. Wilson, who will be looking to get his Angels to what is a reasonably tight Halo relief core. He’s pitching with a 1-0 lead now, and gets Alcides Escobar to bounce out to second for the first out.
Nori Aoki has better luck, guiding a 3-2 pitch through the hole on the left side, and now KC have a one-out baserunner for Lorenzo Cain, who has had a couple of timely hits this postseason already.
Updated
A note...
Dear Royals and Angels,
I would really, really appreciate a nine inning ballgame tonight.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
David Lengel
@LengelDavid I want the KC Royals punished all the way to the World Series. Tonight: LA will push through a win, hopefully not in 18 innings
— Glenn E (@Teng_Solanne) October 5, 2014
All I can say is that I second that emotion.
Angels 1-0 Royals, top 1st
Pujols gets us back to regularly scheduled Angels hitting, although Mike Moustakas was wild with the throw from third over to first, but a very nice short hop pick up by Hosmer makes it two down.
After Kendrick pops out to right, the side is retired, but the Angels get that elusive lead, and a little bit of a buzz as they take the field.
HOME RUN! Angels 1-0 Royals, top 1st
Well, after Calhoun pops to center, Trout, hitless in the series CRUSHES A BALL TO LEFT FIELD! IT’s a statement solo home run! And one that fires up the Angels bench and gives them their very first lead of this series!
First pitch!!
Kole Calhoun comes to the plate wearing a giant paper bag, and so far the Angels can’t hit their way out of it. Let’s see about tonight - James Shields misses high to start this one off.
Giant crowd watching #Chiefs at the K. #Royals pic.twitter.com/MLkbRTWg0W
— Josh Vernier (@JoshVernier610) October 5, 2014
Well, the Chiefs lost 22-17 to the San Francisco 49ers, so those watching at the K are off to a bad start to a big day on the local sporting scene.
@MartinPengelly @HunterFelt @LengelDavid who else is loving the angels getting punished by KC?
— Aram Mushegian (@arammush) October 4, 2014
Well, you know, we don’t do favorites here at the Guardian, we just call it like I see it. But I can, for example, easily imagine haters lining up against Arte Moreno’s millionaires against unheralded, sac-bunting, base stealing underdogs such as the Kansas City Royals....right?
W's for O's
Baltimore are heading back to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 1997!
Detroit had first and second with one down but a double play ball from Hernan Perez ends the Tigers season, and somewhere, Prince Fielder is chuckling in an evil way...
Meanwhile, the Orioles beat three Cy Young Award winners in sweeping the ALDS 3-0, and that ain’t bad.
Will they face Kansas City or the Angels...first pitch is moments away!
And here they are, your Kansas City Royals...
- Alcides Escobar, SS
- Nori Aoki, RF
- Lorenzo Cain, CF
- Eric Hosmer, 1B
- Billy Butler, DH
- Alex Gordon, LF
- Salvador Perez, C
- Omar Infante, 2B
- Mike Moustakas, 3B
It’s lineup time....first the visitors
Los Angels Anaheim of Los:
- Kole Calhoun, RF
- Mike Trout, CF
- Albert Pujols , 1B
- Howie Kendrick, 2B
- Erick Aybar, SS
- David Freese, 3B
- Josh Hamilton, LF
- C.J. Cron, DH
- Chris Iannatta, C
More October silliness
Here come the TIgers! Back-to-back doubles in their half of the ninth from Victor and J.D. Martinez makes in a 2-1 ballgame. So far the playoffs are as good as any as we’ve seen in a long time...or this is every year.
Baseball...it’s good.
Updated
Two big blasts
The Royals rare flashes of power came at just the right time in the first two games. For a little video review, here’s a look at Mike Moustakas’ 11th inning blast in Game 1:
The following night, KC had more 11th inning magic - this time Eric Hosmer went high and far:
Eh hem...
While I’m looking forward to your joining me for the ALDS in KC, why not click over to Hunter and his coverage of Game 3 of the other ALDS, Baltimore vs Detroit. The Tigers are dwn a deuce and heading to the bottom of the ninth inning. Surely that deserves a look....right?
Pregame
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and their torrid lineup have been reduced to mush by the Kansas City Royals over the first two games of their American League Divisional Series.
First Yordano Ventura muted their boisterous bats in Game 1, then Jason Vargas and duplicated the feat in Game 2, with both starters bolstered by a lights out bullpen that has yet to leak a run in nine innings of relief. Just like that, two, airtight ALDS games went to the underdogs from KC, both in extra innings. Now the Royals have a chance (actually, with a 2-0 series lead they’ll have as many as three opportunities) to send home a Angels ballclub that won 98 games, much earlier than many would have thought possible. What’s more, they’ll have their ace pitching on the familiar Kauffman Stadium hill, James Shields, who will try and complete the upset. He’ll be facing a group that have been abused thus far by his colleagues:
- Mike Trout: 0-8
- Albert Pujols: 1-8
- Josh Hamilton: 0-9
- Chris Iannetta: 1-7, albeit his only hit was a home run
- Howie Kendrick: 1-9
- Erick Aybar: 1-7
It’s not as if Kansas City have been smacking the ball all over the yard, quite the contrary - KC’s batting average is just points higher than LA’s, and that’s not saying much at all. Still, the Royals have received the timely hit has been there when they’ve needed it - Mike Moustakas’ home run gave the Royals an 11th inning lead in Game 1, and Eric Hosmer went deep in the 11th in Game 2.
So now the fate of the Halos rides on whether or not their lineup can suddenly find their stroke, and if C.J. Wilson (who was profiled by the Guardian back in June) can be the shutdown pitcher he was brought to LA to be. It was Wilson’s worst season since becoming a full-time starter back in Texas in 2010, posting a 4.51 ERA in 31 starts.
Can the Angels turn this thing around, as teams such as the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants have been able to do in this round over the past couple of seasons? That’s why we’re here - stay with us to find out, and drop us a line while you’re at it.
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or email:
david.lengel.freelance@theguardian.com
Stand by for Game 3 of the ALDS.
