Kansas City Royals: Revisiting the 2015 ALCS Game 6

With the end in sight, the Royals would be tested on their ability to bounce back and get the game back on track when the Blue Jays find a way to catch up.

In the top of the eighth, the Kansas City Royals brought in a fresh arm, replacing Herrera with Ryan Madson. Revere was the first to face Madson and was able to reach base with a single. Madson answered with a strikeout to Josh Donaldson. Bautista came to the plate representing the tying run. On an 0-1 pitch, Bautista hit a two-run home run, tying the game at 3-3.

Madson was unable to pull himself together, giving up a walk to Encarnacion. The Royals decided to go with closer Wade Davis to end the top of the inning. Davis quickly recorded the final two outs, keeping the Blue Jays from getting the lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Royals knew they had to answer. Toronto brought in Roberto Osuna to pitch and the Royals quickly got to him. Cain started the inning by drawing the walk. Following him, Hosmer singled to right, allowing Cain to reach home and score putting the Royals ahead. Morales followed Hosmer, reaching base on a single. Terrance Gore was then brought in to pinch run. Osuna was able to shake it off and finished the inning without any further score from the Royals.

For the ninth inning, the Royals kept closer Davis on the mound. Davis knew he needed a quick inning, but the Blue Jays weren’t going down without a fight. Russell Martin started the inning with a single and was replaced with pinch-runner Dalton Pompey, who proceeded to steal both second and third. Davis then gave up a walk to Kevin Pillar.

In a bind with runners on base, Davis tightened up the screws. He followed up the rough start with two strikeouts to Dioner Navarro and Revere and pitched Donaldson into a groundout to end the game.

With this win, the Royals had secured their advance to the World Series and won the American League pennant for the second year in a row. In a back and forth battle with the difficult Blue Jays, the Royals found themselves in the same position they were in a year earlier, but this time, they hoped to take home more than just the pennant.

The Kansas City Royals would have the advantage of starting the World Series at home in Kansas City, but they would have to take on the Mets, who much like Toronto, always went down swinging. With a few days to rest up, the Royals would meet again on October 27th putting Edinson Volquez up against New York’s Matt Harvey.