Surprising Royals win in 11th
ANAHEIM, Calif. — When Mike Moustakas smacked a high fly into right field in the 11th inning, the Kansas City Royals’ No. 9 hitter had no idea whether it had enough juice to get out of the Big A.
“I knew I hit it pretty good, but that fence out there is pretty tall,” the Los Angeles born-and-bred slugger said.
Although this group of Royals only has two crazy games of playoff history, it’s becoming clear that good things happen to Kansas City in October.
The Royals went a few more extra innings, withstood a few more scares and figured out another dramatic way to win a playoff game — thanks to the local boy.
Moustakas homered leading off the 11th, and the Royals kept rolling in their first postseason in 29 years with a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in their AL Division Series opener Thursday night.
Kansas City had managed just two baserunners since the fifth inning when Moustakas hit the first extra-inning homer in postseason history for the Royals, a high shot off Fernando Salas that barely reached the elevated right-field stands at Angel Stadium.
“It’s probably the biggest one I’ve ever hit so far,” said Moustakas, who had dozens of friends and family members in the Royals’ tiny cheering section. “It felt really amazing.”
Game 2 in the best-of-five series is Friday night at the Big A, with Angels 16-game winner Matt Shoemaker taking on fellow rookie Yordano Ventura.
Alcides Escobar had an early RBI double for the Royals, and their bullpen repeatedly escaped trouble in Kansas City’s first game since that spectacular, 12-inning comeback victory over Oakland in the wild-card playoff Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
Chris Iannetta and David Freese homered early in the Angels’ first playoff game since 2009.
Orioles 12, Tigers 3
BALTIMORE — Nelson Cruz and the Baltimore Orioles had the good fortune of avoiding Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer during the regular season.
Or maybe it was the other way around.
Cruz and J.J. Hardy homered, and Baltimore hammered out 12 hits in defeating Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers 12-3 Thursday in the opener of their AL Division Series.
The Orioles, who turned a close game into a rout with an eight-run eighth inning against Scherzer and three ineffective relievers.
The 12 runs set a postseason record for Baltimore,
