KC Royals: Top Ten Moments During 2015 Postseason

Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) score the tying run – Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

3) Eric Hosmer going for the tie

Sticking with Game 5 of the World Series, there was an even bigger play for the Kansas City Royals than Christian Colon’s single that helped the boys in blue take the lead.

It was the top of the ninth inning. The Royals hadn’t been able to get anything going against Mets starter Matt Harvey, and after arguing with manager Terry Collins, the Dark Knight was coming back out for the ninth.

After walking Lorenzo Cain, and Cain then stealing second base to eliminate a possible double play, the Royals saw their comeback opportunity. Harvey remained in the game and Eric Hosmer made him pay with a double to deep left to score Cain from second.

Collins then pulled Harvey in favor of Jeurys Familia, who had not fared well against Kansas City during this series. That continued in Game 5, as Mike Moustakas grounded out to first to move Hosmer to third base with now just one out.

This was a huge moment because Hosmer essentially took the biggest risk anyone could in the game of baseball by risking the final out of the game.

With Salvador Perez at the plate now, the Royals only needed a sacrifice fly to tie things up. Instead, Perez grounded out to third base and that’s when Hosmer saw his opportunity.

David Wright threw over to Mets first baseman Lucas Duda, and Hosmer took off for home plate. Duda panicked and threw the ball way past home, allowing Hosmer to score the tying run.

This was a huge moment because Hosmer essentially took the biggest risk anyone could in the game of baseball by risking the final out of the game. Had Hosmer been thrown out at the plate, the game would have been over and the Mets would have forced a Game 6 in Kansas City.

People wouldn’t have been praising Eric Hosmer for going for the tie, they would have been pissed that he “wasted” the final out of the game. Fortunately, the scouting reports showed that Wright and Duda had weak arms and that the boys in blue needed to test that theory. Hosmer did just that, and three innings later, the Royals were World Champions.

Feels good, doesn’t it?

Next: Six outs left...