Royals beat Blue Jays, book World Series comeback
KANSAS CITY: Lorenzo Cain scored from first base on Eric Hosmer’s eighth-inning single on Friday (Saturday in Manila) to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 win over Toronto and back into baseball’s World Series.
The Royals, who lost to the San throw from Blue Jays rightfielder Francisco Giants in seven games in Jose Bautista went to second base. Major League Baseball’s champion“I didn’t know what hapship showcase last season, will play pened, but I just kept going,” the New York Mets for the 2015 said Cain, who beat the relay crown, hosting game one on Tuesday. throw from Toronto shortstop
Cain scored the go-ahead run in Troy Tulowitzki at the plate. the bottom of the eighth, racing Up 3- 2 in the best- of- seven home on the instructions of third American League Championship base coach Mike Jirschele after the Series, the Royals pounced early with solo home runs from Ben Zobrist in the first inning and Mike Moustakas in the second.
Alex Rios made it 3-1 with a run-scoring single in the seventh.
But Toronto, who fended off elimination with a game- five win, tied the game at 3-3 in the eighth on Bautista’s second home run of the contest.
With Ben Revere on base, Bautista, who hit 40 home runs in the regular season, belted a Ryan Madson fastball into the left field seats.
The Royals sent Wade Davis to the mound to get the final two outs of the frame, and after a 45minute rain delay the Royals returned to the field and got the run they needed.
Things got tense for the Royals when Davis returned to the mound for the top of the ninth—despite waiting through the rain delay.
He allowed a leadoff single to Russell Martin, who was replaced by pinch runner Dalton Pompey who promptly stole second and third base with none out.
Davis then walked Kevin Pillar, who stole second, but Davis struck out Dioner Navarro and Revere before inducing Josh Donaldson to ground out to end the game.
“It got pretty bad there pretty quick,” Davis said. “I just kept telling myself ‘We can get out of it. Keep making pitches.’”