The story of the gritty, gutty, small-market Kansas City Royals stopped being cute the moment the eliminated the Angels and A’s from the postseason. They’re one win away from adding the Orioles to their list.After posting seven straight playoff wins, the Royals are showing everyone that they are the hottest team in baseball and a serious threat to win the World Series.
Kansas City beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 in Game 3 of the ALCS on Tuesday night to take a 3-0 series lead. They beat Oakland 9-8 in 12 innings in a thrilling do-or-die wild-card playoff game; they swept the Angels 3-0 in the ALDS; and they now are up 3-0 on the O’s in the ALCS.
The only other teams to start a postseason with seven straight wins were the 2007 Colorado Rockies and the 1976 Reds (the Reds won the World Series and did not have a divisional round of the playoffs).
It seems like everything is falling in place for the Royals. Tuesday marked their third 1-run game in seven postseason wins. They got excellent pitching, some spectacular defense, and just enough hits to score what they needed to.
Mike Moustakas, a former No. 2 overall pick who was demoted to the minors this season, is scorching in the playoffs and has clubbed four home runs. Eric Hosmer, who bought nearly $20,000 in drinks for local fans after the ALDS, has been even hotter hitting .462 with seven RBIs. Lorenzo Cain has been one of the greatest revelations for the team, as he has not only been unreal robbing hits in center field, but he has also hit .387 and scored a team-leading 9 runs. The Royals have also stolen 13 bases — three by pinch-runner Terrance Gore — while allowing just three to opposing teams. Not only are they putting pressure on opponents with their running game, but the concern over their speed has forced defenses to play closer to the bases, opening up holes on the infield. In Game 3 on Tuesday, a key hit by Hosmer in the hole helped the Royals score in the sixth, and it was all thanks to the Orioles holding the runner at first.
In addition to the hitting, defense and speed, the Royals are getting good pitching — particularly out of their bullpen.
The trio of Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera and Greg Holland have combined to pitch 22 innings in the postseason and have allowed just 3 runs, 12 hits and 8 walks while striking out 28. They’ve also received solid efforts from Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas, whose stats were the worst among their starting pitchers during the regular season.
The Royals can clinch their first trip to the World Series since 1985 with a win in Game 4 at home on Wednesday. The only thing that might stop them now would be a layoff while waiting for the NLCS to be completed.
