Kansas City Royals Sweep Angels for ALDS Win

SWEEP!!! The Kansas City Royals finished off the Angels 8-3 at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday night, allowing Kansas Ctiy to advance to the American League Championship Series against the Baltimore Orioles, who eliminated the Tigers earlier in the day.

More from Kansas City Royals

Mike Trout slammed a solo home run against Royals starter James Shields to give the Angels their first lead of the series at 1-0, but the Royals squashed any illusions of a Los Angeles comeback with a 3-run double in the bottom of the 1st.

Kansas City added a 2-run home run from Eric Hosmer and a solo shot by Mike Moustakas to the barrage that keyed an 8-run outburst from an offense that had been mostly maligned all season.

And, this time, they didn’t need extra innings.

On the Mound

James Shields did not have his best stuff, but got the job done against a lineup that scored more runs than any team in baseball. Shields lasted 6.0 innings, allowing 6 hits (including 2 solo home runs), 2 walks, and 2 earned runs with 6 strikeouts. Shields got credit for the win.

Kelvin Herrera pitched a clean 7th with 1 strikeout.

Wade Davis entered in the 8th and gave up a leadoff double by Howie Kendrick followed by an infield single from Erick Aybar putting runners at 1st and 3rd. Davis, however, struck out David Freese, retired Josh Hamilton on a sacrifice fly to right, and struck out C.J. Cron to limit the damage to 1 run. The Royals still led 8-3.

Greg Holland mowed down the Angels with 2 strikeouts and a groundout in the 9th to finish the sweep.

At the Plate

Alex Gordon answered Mike Trout‘s solo home run in the 1st inning off Shields with a 3-run double in the bottom of the inning. Gordon’s blow cut off any momentum the Angels hoped to build and knocked out starter C.J. Wilson. Gordo’s blow put KC up 3-1.

Eric Hosmer extended the lead to 5-1, with a 2-run blast in the 3rd inning that also brought home Nori Aoki who had drawn a walk. Hosmer’s shot travelled 427 feet over the right centerfield wall.

Albert Pujols got back one run with a solo shot for the Angels to lead off the 4th, but KC immediately answered with a 414 ft. solo shot by Mike Moustakas in the bottom of the 4th. The Royals added another run on Lorenzo Cain‘s sacrifice fly to score Alcides Escobar, putting Kansas City in command at 7-2.

Kansas City padded their lead to 6 runs in the 6th on Nori Aoki‘s single up the middle after Omar infante and Alcides Escobar had singled to put runners at 1st and 2nd. The run gave KC a commanding 8-2 lead.

This and That

Kansas City’s defense made itself felt once again in the 5th inning. With runners at 1st and 2nd with 1 out, Lorenzo Cain made a diving catch to rob Albert Pujols of at least 1 RBI on a drive toward the gap in left, and then made another diving catch in shallow centerfield to rob Howie Kendrick.

With Shields wobbling in the 5th, Cain’s heroics killed a rally that threatened to put the Angels back in the game.

For the first time in MLB history, the team with the best record in baseball got swept in the playoffs with the Angels loss.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

Our nod is going to Lorenzo Cain for his two outstanding plays in the field that killed any hope of a Los Angeles comeback. Cain also added a single and scored a run in the first that helped set up Gordon’s 3-run double. Cain also added an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the 5th. Cain finished the night 1 for 3.

The Angels

Albert Pujols tried to rally the Angels, hitting a home run to pull his team within 3 in the 4th, and hit a drive toward the gap in the 5th with 2 men on base, but Lorenzo Cain robbed him with a great play. Pujols finished the game 1 for 4 with 1 RBI.

Up Next

The Royals will play the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series that begins Friday, October 10, at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Starters to be determined. I expect Yost will pitch ace James Shields (14-8, 3.21 ERA).

Home/Kansas City Royals