No lie: Lorenzo Cain dazzles with back-to-back diving catches against Angels

The worst thing the Los Angeles Angels could do in the American League Division Series was hit the ball to the outfield. The likes of Lorenzo Cain, Nori Aoki, Jarrod Dyson and Alex Gordon had that part of the field covered too well.

In the deciding Game 3 of the series Sunday night, Cain made back-to-back diving catches in center field in the fifth inning to help remove any doubt that the Kansas City Royals were on the way to advancing to the next round of the Major League Baseball playoffs. The Royals beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 to sweep their first playoff series in 29 years. The Royals travel to Baltimore to start the AL Championship Series on Friday.

Cain also made a pair of great catches in Game 1, but was overshadowed by two remarkable ones by Aoki.

Cain had Game 2 to himself.

Down five runs in the fifth, the Angels put their first two runners aboard against James Shields for slugger Albert Pujols, who had homered an inning earlier. This time, Pujols hit a bloop to left-center that Cain appeared to get a great jump on. It still looked like it might drop, but Cain kept charging and closed fast, diving glove-first and just getting leather under the ball at the last moment.

Two pitches later, Howie Kendrick hit a sinking liner to right center, and Cain made another forward dive — having some time to spare this time — for another great catch. Cain reacted with screams and fist pumps of happiness, and Kauffman Stadium loved every moment of it.

Cain was rocking:

Cain has been making catches like that — and other important ones that didn’t look as spectacular — all season:

Lorenzo Cain with 2 nifty catches in 5th inning. He ranked 5th in MLB with 24 Defensive Runs Saved in 2014

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 6, 2014