AL
After Rain Delay, Royals Hold Off Blue Jays, Advance To World Series
Will meet Mets in the World Series.
LG PATTERSON/MLB PHOTOS
The Kansas City Royals are returning to the World Series for a second year in a row, after holding off a late rally by the Toronto Blue Jays, to win the game 4-3 and the ALCS in six games.
The Royals took a quick 2-0 lead after the second inning on homes runs by Ben Zobrist in the first and Mike Moustakas in the second.
The Jays answered back with a run in the fourth on Jose Bautista‘s blast over the left center field fence to pull within 2-1.
The Royals added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, on an RBI single from Alex Rios, but Toronto answered right back kn the top of the eighth, to tie the game 3-3 on Jose Bautista’s second bomb of the game, this time a two run shot.
But the Royals weren’t going to let this game get away, and after a 45 min rain delay, Eric Hosmer singled in the bottom of the frame, scoring Lorenzo Cain all the way from first base to put the Royals up for good at 4-3.
Closer Wade Davis, who sat pitched in the top of the eighth, sat through the rain delay and returned to the ninth and quickly allowed a single to Russell Martin and a walk to Kevin Pillar. Dalton Pompey, who ran for Russell, stole third and with Dioner Navarro at the plate Pillar stole second.
With non out and runners on second and third, Wade struck out Navarro and Ben Revere, then induced a ground ball off the bat of Josh Donaldson to end the game and send the Royals to the World Series date with the New York Mets.
Game One of the Fall Classic starts Tuesday in Kansas City as both teams look to win a championship for the first time in 30 years. Royals last won in 1985 and the Mets in 1986. Will be a series to remember.
David Conde
David is the Founder and Co-Owner of Legends On Deck and Co-Host of the Legends On Deck Podcast. A lifelong sports fan with a special passion for the New York Mets and New York Knicks, David has spent more than a decade covering the sports he loves. From 2010 to 2014, he served as a Senior Editor for MetsMerized Online and Mets Minors, and in June 2014 fulfilled a lifelong dream by covering the New York Mets at Citi Field as a credentialed writer. As Legends On Deck has expanded beyond baseball, David has enjoyed diving into more sports, learning along the way and sharing those stories with readers and listeners. Married for over 27 years and the proud father of two adult sons, he continues to connect with sports fans through Legends On Deck, the podcast and social media.
