The Kansas City Royals advanced to the World Series for a second straight year after beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 in game six of the American League Championship Series.
Lorenzo Cain celebrates with Kansas City Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Lorenzo Cain scored from first base on a single down the right field line by Eric Hosmer with no outs in the bottom of the eighth to snap a 3-3 tie and set up a 'Fall Classic' against National League champions the New York Mets.
The best-of-seven Major League Baseball championship series will begin on Wednesday in Kansas City.
Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar was named most valuable player of the series after batting .478 (11-for-23), scoring six runs, driving in five and playing sterling defence.
Toronto threatened in the ninth with similar aggression on the basepaths as pinch-runner Dalton Pompey stole second and third with no one out and Kevin Pillar walked to put men on first and third with Royals closer Wade Davis on the mound.
"It got pretty bad there, pretty quick," said Davis, who came into the game at the top of the eighth and waited an hour to return to the mound for the ninth because of a rain delay.
"I kept telling myself, 'We can get out of it, keep making pitches, just get this win for the team.'"
Davis struck out pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro and Ben Revere before getting Josh Donaldson to ground out to third to secure a 4-2 series triumph with a nail-biting victory that unleashed wild celebrations on the diamond.
Kansas City will be trying for their first World Series title in 30 years, while the Mets seek their first Fall Classic crown in 29 years after most recently losing to their cross-town rival Yankees in the Subway Series of 2000.
"Last year at this time we were so excited to be here," said Royals manager Ned Yost. "This year, from the first day of spring training we expected to be here."
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons gave credit to Kansas City, the AL Central winners who earned top seeding with the league's best regular season record.
"I want to congratulate the Kansas City Royals for a wonderful year," said Gibbons. "They set the tone last year and they had a fantastic year this year.
- Reuters
