Compared to last year’s epic event, the game was quite the snooze fest, but Kansas City anxiously watched the outcome as it would determine the first opponent on the Royals road to “Take the Crown”.
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We all know the Royals came as close as 90 feet away from a potential World Series title a year ago. CC Sabathia, who was expected to start Tuesday’s game for the Yankees, was missed in the rotation after he chose to skip the post-season and instead check into rehab for alcohol addiction.
McHugh closed the season strong winning his last six turns on the hill and was successful in his lone career test against the Royals.
Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius (18) tags Houston Astros’ Jonathan Villar (2) who signals that he’s safe on a seventh-inning stolen base in the American League wild card baseball game. The only damage he allowed was a solo homer by Springer in the fifth, negating Morales’ second homer of the night in the fourth off of McHugh. Granted, the Kansas City Royals don’t have much experience other than their miracle run past year, they do now how to flat-out play baseball.
“It’s a five-game series”, Royals manager Ned Yost said. Back on July 26, Ventura allowed one earned run and struck out five with no walks over seven innings in the Royals’ 5-1 victory. They will also move their defenders around based on hitters’ tendencies.
Kansas City Royals pitcher Chris Young, right, talks with pitching coach Dave Eiland, center, and catcher Salvador Perez, left, during the sixth inning in Game 1 of baseball’s American League Division Series against the Houston Astros, Thursday, October 8, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo. First up will be the Texas Rangers vs Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of their ALDS at 3.30 p.m. ET. Collin McHugh and Yordano Ventura are in this game as starters for the teams. Scott Kazmir will pitch for the Astros and Johnny Cueto will get the ball for the Royals.
The intimacy of the Astros Minute Maid Park may have helped with the high homer total (it’s in the top ten for favorite parks in which to hit dingers – especially for righties). That being said, having lived in both Kansas City and Houston, I am hereby declaring myself an expert on the topic of comparing these two cities, and going to say this: despite many differences, the cities are more alike than one might think. McHugh went six innings giving up two runs on four hits while striking out one as well as walking one. “I mean, it’s over with, and now we understand that they’re going to be prepared to play”.
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“We haven’t ruled him out of tomorrow’s game”, Daniels said. Game 1 had Jarrod Dyson in CF, Kendrys Morales at 1B, Omar Infante was at 2B (no Ben Zobrist yet) and Christian Colon was at SS. Drew Butera even caught Game 2.
