American League Championship Series
Kansas City Royals at Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays got their first win of the series in Game 3 by a score of 11-8, and they were hoping to even up the series in Game 4. They sent up R.A. Dickey to face the Royals. The Royals were intent on extending their lead to three games to one by sending Chris Young to the mound.
The Royals did not waste any time getting on the board, scoring four times in the top of first inning. Alcides Escobar led off with a bunt single, becoming the first player to lead off the first inning with a hit in each of the first four League Championship Series games. Ben Zobrist hit an 0-1 knuckleball out to right center field for a two-run home run. Lorenzo Cain worked a walk and moved to third on a single by Eric Hosmer. Cain scored and Hosmer advanced to second on a passed ball, then Hosmer advanced to third when Kendrys Morales grounded out. Mike Moustakas drove in Hosmer with a sacrifice fly to center before Salvador Perez struck out to end the inning.
Alex Rios hit a one-out home run in the top of the second inning. Escobar was hit by a pitch, then he advanced to second on a ground out by Zobrist. After walking Cain, Dickey’s day was over. He pitched one and two-thirds innings, giving up five runs on four hits (two of them home runs) and two walks. Liam Hendriks came in and picked off Escobar at second base to end the inning.
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The Blue Jays countered in the bottom of the third with a one-out rally. Ryan Goins singled to left and went to second when Ben Revere walked. Josh Donaldson hit a ground rule double to left to drive in Goins and move Revere to third. Jose Bautista grounded out to second, scoring Revere and moving Donaldson to third. Edwin Encarnacion lined out to left to end the inning, trailing 5-2.
Things were quiet until the Royals opened the flood gates in the seventh. LaTroy Hawkins came in to relieve Hendriks and started with a walk to Perez. Alex Gordon singled to center to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Rios singled to center, and the bases were loaded. Paulo Orlando came in to run for Rios.
Ryan Tepera came in to pitch, relieving Hawkins. Escobar hit a sacrifice fly to center that drove in Perez and advanced the other runners to second and third. A wild pitch brought in Gordon and moved Orlando to third. Cain singled to left, driving in Orlando and moving Zobrist to third. Hosmer hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Zobrist. Morales flied out to left to finally end the inning, but not before the Royals scored four more runs for a 9-2 lead.
The Royals loaded the bases with one out in the eighth when Perez doubled, Gordon walked, and Orlando singled. Escobar hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Perez, but now there were two outs. Zobrist loaded the bases with an infield single. Cain then hit a two-run single up the middle to put the Royals up 12-2. Mark Lowe came in to relieve Tepera and struck out Hosmer to end the inning.
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Morales led off the top of the ninth with a single. Moustakas struck out, then Drew Butera moved Morales to second on a ground out to first. Gordon was hit by a pitch, and Lowe’s day was over. Cliff Pennington became the first position player to pitch in a postseason game. Orlando singled to load the bases, and then Escobar singled to drive in Morales and Gordon. Zobrist popped out to the catcher to end the inning.
Franklin Morales came in to close it out for the Royals. He worked around a one-out single to finish the game.
Player of the Game: Alcides Escobar
Escobar has a base hit in the first inning of every game in this series. He had two hits in three at-bats, four RBI, and one run scored. On a day when it seemed that every Royal was involved in the run production, Escobar is the one who started onslaught.
Game 5 (Royals lead 3-1)
The Royals are on the brink of the world Series, and they are sending Edinson Volquez to the mound to try to wrap it up. He pitched six shutout innings in Game 1. The Blue Jays are countering with Marco Estrada, who also pitched in Game 1, giving up three runs in five and a third innings. The Blue Jays have their backs against the wall and they will come out swinging.