Toronto 6, Texas 3 – Toronto Wins ALDS 3-2
Everything you need to know about this game happened in a wild, controversial, heated, 53-minute-long 7th inning.
First, with two outs in the top of the 7th, the game is tied at two with Rugned Odor at third and Shin-Soo Choo batting:
The ball is certainly in play, but it seems unfair that the umpire almost immediately signaled a dead ball, which didn’t give the Blue Jays a chance to make a play on the advancing runner. (Sidenote: I love how Harold Reynolds immediately says “Ball’s dead!” and two seconds later is saying “Why’s it dead? Why’s it dead? That ball’s alive!”)
So with the Rangers ahead 3-2 on an extremely controversial play, this happens in the bottom of the inning:
Not pictured in the above highlight – the aftermath of Joey Bats’ home run:
A few thoughts here:
- The Rangers could not have Schruted this any harder, blowing a 2-0 series lead and melting down with a lead in the 7th in this one, but I really feel bad for Elvis Andrus. He always seems like a good, funny dude and he had a brutal inning that ultimately led to Texas’ downfall.
- Kind of a dickish admiration/bat flip by Bautista, but given the emotion of the inning, I can’t really blame him. That being said, if it had been one of the Rangers that had done this, Jose would’ve had the mounties arrest him before he got to the plate.
- Really poor showing from the Toronto fans here. It’s one thing to throw beer cans and bottles on the field after the blown call (inexcusable, dangerous and childish, but somewhat understandable), it’s another to do it again after your team does something good, improbably and incredibly, in the franchise’s biggest game in 20 years. Clean it up, hosers.
Kansas City 7, Houston 2 – Royals Win ALDS 3-2
Houston jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a Luis Valbuena home run in the second, and it looked like Johnny Cueto may once again have a largely ineffective start for KC.
People were already starting to question the decision to bring him in, to give up prospects, to put all of their chips in the Cueto basket for a half-season rental.
But then Johnny remembered who he was and starting plowing through the Astros lineup. His body language changed notably. He was swaggering to and fro. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? Doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
Doth he ever.
He retired the next 19 men in order following the Valbuena long ball.
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cueto (W, 1-0) | 8.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 3.86 |
The Royals took the lead in the bottom of the 5th on an Alex Rios chopper that went down the 3rd base line for a double, scoring Sal Perez and Alex Gordon and never looked back.
The exclamation point was this Kendrys Morales three-run bomb off of Dallas Keuchel, featuring an adorable little skip when he knew he got all of it.
So we’re all set for the ALCS: Royals vs. Blue Jays Game One tomorrow night at 7:30PM on FOX.
Tonight: Game 5 between the Mets and Dodgers for the right to play the Cubs in the NLCS, 8PM on TBS.
Thank God we live in these times.