Kansas City Royals: Ten Biggest Plays Of 2015

6. October 9, 2015: Alcides Escobar Smacks Key Triple To Trigger First Playoff Comeback

Game 2 of the American League Division Series against play-in survivor Houston had turned critical. The KC Royals lost Game 1 at home 5-2, and were trailing Game 2 4-1 after the Astros hung four runs on starter Johnny Cueto.

With 2015 Cy Young award winner Dallas Kuechel scheduled to start Game 3 in Houston, the Kansas City Royals found themselves  in an almost must-win situation against a surging young team that had gained playoff confidence.

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The Royals pushed across a run in the 4th, and staged a two-run rally to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth highlighted by hacktastic catcher Salvador Perez driving in the tying run on a bases-loaded walk.

Alcides Escobar led off the seventh inning and made the Astros pay for their shallow outfield alignment by shooting a triple into the right field gap. Escobar scored when Ben Zobrist blooped a single to put the Kansas City Royals ahead 5-4.

Kelvin Herrera, Ryan Madson, and Wade Davis closed out the victory by holding the Astros scoreless over the last three innings.

Game 2 proved to be the first of many multi-run comebacks by Kansas City in the 2015 post-season. Though lost among more dramatic comeback wins later in the World Series and ALCS, Escobar’s play proved to critical after the KC Royals did indeed drop Game 3.

Dallas Kuechel proved to be as good as advertised. The only thing that staved off a shocking Houston sweep might have been Escobar’s key triple.

Next: October 12, 2015