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Royals take out brooms again to extend 7-game win streak

October 15, 2014

A Kansas City Royals fan celebrates with a broom during the sixth inning of Game 3 of baseball’s AL Division Series against the Los Angeles Angels in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

By The Korea Times Los Angeles staff

The Kansas City Royals are coming off of a seven-game win streak as they enter Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

If they win Wednesday afternoon at home in Kauffman stadium, they will clinch the American League Championship title and make their first World Series appearance in 29 years.

When the opposing team becomes victim to an almost insurmountable deficit, it is usually easy to feel at least a little sympathetic, but the Royals’ journey this year has been so unexpectedly incredible that the baseball world is too overwhelmed by awe to spare any extra emotion.

In another nail-biting game Tuesday night, the Royals’ defense held the once feared Orioles’ offense to just one run, resulting in a 2-1 victory.

The Royals made unforgettable defensive plays, especially by third baseman Mike Moustakas, who fell into a dugout suite as he caught Orioles outfielder Adam Jones’ foul ball pop up in the sixth inning.

As for their offense, it hasn’t been particularly powerful. Instead it’s been clutch.

So far in the 2014 postseason, six different players from the Royals’ lineup have contributed go-ahead RBIs late in the game, which pretty much guarantees a win considering how dominating their bullpen can be from the seventh inning on.

Not to use history as a crutch, but the Royals must maintain momentum heading into the World Series. In the 2007 ALCS, the Colorado Rockies swept the Arizona Diamondbacks leading to over a week of rest for the players.

What resulted was a reverse sweep as the Boston Red Sox took the World Series title home in four straight games.

It’s just one scenario in the long history of professional baseball, but at this point it looks like the Royals might be prepared for anything.

Royals’ left-hander Jason Vargas will start against Orioles’ right-hander Miguel Gonzalez. Both pitchers only have one postseason start under their belts.