KC Royals: Ranking the 2015 Playoff Comebacks
By Scott Dillon
Number 2: ALDS Game 4
Final Score: Royals 9 – Astros 6
This game was set to be a showdown between young flamethrowers Yordano Ventura and Lance McCullers. The Royals needed to win to force a game five in Kansas City and at one point it seemed that would never come to fruition.
Carlos Correa led off the game by getting hit by a pitch that left many wondering if he’d be able to continue. Not only did he continue, he went off blasting two home runs and driving in four runs. The second home run seemed to put the Royals hopes of coming home out of reach giving the Astros a three run lead in the seventh. If there was any hope remaining, surely Rasmus’ follow up home run would dash the Royals spirits. They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Perhaps it was McCullers throat slashing gesture that awoke something in the Royals. It was most likely the leadership of Mike Moustakas who reportedly got everyone fired up before the eighth.
The city of Houston and the Texas Governor were looking to celebrate just a little too soon as the Royals put together one of the most dramatic come from behind wins, not only in franchise history, but of all time. After Rasmus hit his home run, the Royals were given just a 3.2 percent chance of winning that game.
Perhaps it was McCullers throat slashing gesture that awoke something in the Royals. It was most likely the leadership of Mike Moustakas who reportedly got everyone fired up before the eighth. The Royals opened the eighth inning with five straight singles before Morales came up to bat with the bases loaded. Morales hit a ball up the middle that looked like a sure double play before the slick fielding Correa went from hero to goat as the ball skidded off his glove and into center field. The tying run had scored as the Astros clinched defeat from the jaws of victory.
One of the more underrated at-bats in the inning came from light hitting backup catcher Drew Butera. Butera drew a 10 pitch walk to load the bases and Alex Gordon pulled one just far enough towards right to drive in the go-ahead run. Hosmer smacked a two run homer in the ninth to give Wade Davis some breathing room, and Davis completed a six-out save.
The Royals had completed their second four run comeback in just over a year, and left many wondering if they really were magicians.
Next: Steal the Crown