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| Holland got the save to send KC to the World Series. Photo Credit: USA Today Sports |
The Royals took another step toward an improbable World Series championship as they finished off a sweep of the Orioles with a 2-1 win over Baltimore to clinch the AL pennant.
By: Michael Hanley
Kansas City will be in their first World Series since they won it back in 1985. Ironically they won that championship against the Cardinals who could potentially be KC's opponent in the fall classic once again. It capped what has been so far a postseason that not even Hollywood could script if they tried. Eight wins in a row and have done it playing their style of ball and making the opponent adjust to it.
After a game in which the Royals limited the Orioles to only three hits total as starter Jason Vargas and the lock down bullpen once again delivered a sensational performance in another one run game.Vargas went the first 5 1/3 inning of this game, keeping Baltimore to only one run on two hits while racking up six strikeouts.
He then left it to the Herrera, Davis and Holland who would shut the door completely on any chance the Orioles had of tying or getting a comeback win in this elimination game for them. In 3 2/3 inning work, they combined to give up a grand total of two hits and no runs, just like they seem to have done all postseason long.
The two runs in which they got in this game could not represent this club and its style anymore than it did. Eric Hosmer hit a chopper to first baseman for Baltimore in Steve Pearce,who decided instead of getting the easy out at first base, he tried to cut down a run by KC. That proved to be unsuccessful as Alcides Escobar slid under the tag of the catcher Caleb Joseph and was safe for the Royals first run of the game.
Then afterwards, the ball got away from the catcher and that allowed Norichika Aoki to come home and score the second run. As has been the case with any lead the Royals have had this postseason, it felt like that two run lead was more like four runs with how dominant their starting pitching and bullpen was. The pitching then took care of the rest of the game and has led to Kansas City being four wins away from an improbable World Series title.
Vargas did get the win in his start for KC and Greg Holland got the save in the 9th inning. Miguel Gonzalez took the loss for the Orioles.
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