For the second consecutive season, the Kansas City Royals will have an opportunity to secure a spot in the World Series with one more victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
With their season on the line for the third time already this postseason, the Blue Jays got a tremendous start from Marco Estrada and a big sixth inning to force a sixth game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday.
Even though the Royals missed their chance to close things out in Game 5, they should still be brimming with confidence after winning their first two games at home in the series and stealing one on the road.
Here's the remaining schedule for the American League Championship Series battle between the Blue Jays and Royals:
Key Game 6 Storylines (Toronto)
The Blue Jays should be a confident lineup after scoring seven runs in Game 5 as well as chasing projected Game 6 starter Yordano Ventura out after 5.1 innings last Saturday. The Royals' hard-throwing right-hander did battle his way through that game, allowing three runs despite eight hits and two walks.
All eyes will be on David Price in Game 6, as this could be his final start with the team if it loses. He's also trying to erase postseason demons.
The possible 2015 Cy Young Award winner appeared as if he had exorcised those playoff monsters in Game 2, as he was cruising through six innings before Kansas City put up five in the seventh to secure a 6-3 win.
David Schoenfield of ESPN.com summed up Price's postseason shortcomings best after last Saturday's defeat:
It's hard to believe, but Price's teams are now 0-7 in the postseason when he starts. Price is 0-7 with a 5.44 ERA in those starts (his two postseason wins have come in relief). Some people get mad when you say that, like they did about Clayton Kershaw, but you can't say the narrative is wrong: Price hasn't yet proven he can win the big game.
This isn't to say that Price can't win a big game, as he was the pitcher on the mound when the Tampa Bay Rays won the American League pennant in 2008 against the Boston Red Sox, but something strange is going on with the southpaw.
The encouraging thing for Toronto manager John Gibbons is Marco Estrada pitched 7.2 innings in Game 5, so the bullpen got a much-needed break after R.A. Dickey's disastrous start the previous game.
Considering that Kauffman Stadium is much more spacious than the Rogers Centre, even with unseasonably warm temperatures expected in Kansas City, offense is likely to be at a premium on Friday night.
The Blue Jays have a powerful lineup, but they only had four extra-base hits (all doubles) in the first two games of this series at Kansas City. Home runs are great, but as the Royals have proved time after time this season, being able to string together a lot of hits to wear out a pitching staff is just as valuable.
Royals manager Ned Yost, for whatever reason, has seemed hesitant to go to relievers before his Big Three of Kelvin Herrera, Ryan Madson and Wade Davis. That can work to Toronto's advantage as long as the hitters make Ventura work deep counts and get him out of the game early.
Key Game 6 Storylines (Kansas City)
Even though the Royals were unable to close out the series on Wednesday, there is no reason to think they are in serious trouble at this point. They have already beaten Price in the series and, in the event of a Game 7, racked up 11 hits against Marcus Stroman on Monday.
The one area Kansas City does have to be concerned is starting pitching. Ventura has electric stuff but always seems to be in a constant battle with his command. Things get particularly dicey as teams get additional looks at him, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports:
Yet the Royals have never been fazed by what seemed to be apparent shortcomings in their rotation. No one predicted Chris Young would start a game in Toronto, pitch effectively for 4.2 innings in which he allowed just three hits and two runs, and give way to Luke Hochevar for 1.1 innings of shutout baseball.
Royals manager Ned Yost said after the Game 4 blowout win (14-2) that his team seems to be doing everything right, per Jeffrey Flanagan and Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com:
"I felt great going into this game because we had Chris Young on the mound, and I felt he would give us a really, really good performance," Yost said. "We like the way we're playing right now. Our offense has been really, really good."
Offense has been a story for Kansas City in this series, as the defending American League champions have scored 34 runs in five games. Toronto was supposed to do the mashing after leading all of MLB in runs scored (891) during the regular season.
Because the Royals are built to make contact—they are the only team to strike out fewer than 1,100 times the past two seasons—they can frustrate opposing pitchers who are used to missing bats. Price was able to work through the lineup quickly in Game 2, but Kansas City's ability to put the ball in play made its comeback in the seventh inning possible.
As long as the Royals keep the game close before going to their late-inning relievers, they are going to have a shot because Herrera and Davis are as close to sure things in the postseason as anyone right now.
Stats courtesy ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.
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