Royals run all the way to World Series thanks to Lorenzo Cain, Mike Jirschele
If there was one play that captured everything the Kansas City Royals are about, from their style of play to their relentless energy and flat out refusal to lose, it’s the play that ultimately sent them to the World Series.
It happened in the eighth inning of their 4-3 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays in ALCS Game 6. After a 41-minute rain delay halted the action, the Royals decided to come out aggressive and put the pressure on the Blue Jays. With the game tied, Lorenzo Cain got the wheels in motion figuratively by drawing a leadoff walk. He then got the wheels moving in a literal sense as well, scoring all the way from first base on Eric Hosmer’s single.
[ALCS Game 6: Royals beat Blue Jays 4-3 to book return to World Series]
Cain’s run was the difference maker, but it was about more than Cain’s hustle. Much more. It was about a team that’s determined to succeed. It was about a team that’s always looking for an opening to make that success come true. And it was about a team that pays attention to detail, all while running 100-mph.
When Hosmer ripped that ball into the right field corner, everybody knew that meant immediate danger for Toronto. First and third with nobody out was the worst-case scenario, or so we thought. Cain had bigger plans though. He never hesitated going around second base. It was still full speed ahead. Same thing around third base. There was never any intention to stop running until third base coach Mike Jirschele put up the stop sign.
It never came.
Jirschele kept waving, and Cain ended up sliding home just ahead of the throw, giving Kansas City it’s decisive run.
It was mostly hustle, but as we learned after the game, it was that hustle that allowed the team’s attention to detail and attention to right fielder Jose Bautista’s tendancies to pay off.
Everything happened as Jirschele anticipated it would. Bautista cut the ball off and then made an off balance throw to second base without even a second thought. He didn’t look at his target or consider any other possibilities. All the while, Cain was running and the time it took to redirect Bautista’s relay was all he needed.
It was amazing to watch from an outsider’s perspective. It had to be a helpless feeling for all wearing a Blue Jays uniforms once it became obvious what was happening. The Royals were one step ahead — again — and as a result will represent the American League in their second straight World Series.
The Royals resilience and resolve have defined them the past two seasons. They are the reasons they rallied in the 2014 AL wild card game, defeating the A’s in extra innings. They are the reasons they overcame a four-run deficit in the Game 4 against the Houston Astros and ultimately survived that series. They are the reasons they rallied in Game 2 of this series, winning again in stunning fashion.
But it’s the relentess energy that makes them equally effective when they’re on even ground or even slightly ahead. They don’t stop, and they won’t stop, and this season they hope that mentaility carries them all the way to a World Series championship.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
