Some of the Cardinals' magic pixie dust must have been appropriated by the Royals. How else can you explain a team that blows a 5-1 lead with its best pitcher on the mound, allows the tying run on an infield bloop, can't score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth inning, winning the game by hitting a pair of extra-inning home runs?
Speaking of which, here are a couple of numbers you might find interesting:
Number of extra-inning home runs the Royals hit Friday night: 2 Number of extra-inning home runs the Royals hit in the entire 2014 regular season: 1
That's right. Mike Moustakas hit a home run in the 11th inning in this game April 16. That's the only homer the Royals hit after the ninth inning all year.
And then, Friday night they hit two (including one by Moustakas). Because baseball.
The Royals are starting to remind me of the 2007 Rockies, a team that went on an incredible hot streak at the end of the regular season that carried them through sweeps in their division series and LCS before they got swept in the World Series. Those Rockies went 21-1 counting their last 15 games of the regular season and first two playoff series.
The Royals are 12-2 since September 21. They're getting on that kind of roll.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals and Giants will get going tonight; I don't think I have to ask who everyone here is rooting for.
Fox-TV is going to do something experimental for NLCS Game 1. They'll have the regular game broadcast on your local Fox broadcast channel. On Fox Sports 1, they're going to have several analysts, including Rob Neyer, talk statistics and sabermetrics. Rob Neyer explains how it's all going to work here.
It's an interesting concept. I'm not sure I'll watch it as I'd rather just see the action unfold, but I'd like to hear from anyone here who does watch it to see what you think.
Here's all the info you need for today's games.
Royals vs. Orioles, ALCS Game 2. Royals lead series 1-0. TV: TBS, game time 3 p.m. CT. Starting pitchers: Yordano Ventura vs. Bud Norris. Announcers: Ernie Johnson, Ron Darling, Cal Ripken Jr. and Matt Winer. ESPN Radio announcers: Jon Sciambi and Chris Singleton.
Giants vs. Cardinals, NLCS Game 1. TV: Fox-TV (WFLD-32 in Chicago), game time 7 p.m. CT. Starting pitchers: Madison Bumgarner vs. Adam Wainwright. Announcers: Joe Buck, Harold Reynolds, Tom Verducci, Ken Rosenthal and Erin Andrews. ESPN Radio announcers: Dan Shulman and Aaron Boone.
MLB.com Gameday for Royals/Orioles
MLB.com Gameday for Giants/Cardinals
This will be the only thread for today's games. Enjoy, and discuss amongst yourselves.