Kansas City Royals advance to World Series
Royals remain unbeaten in the postseason
Baltimore Orioles eliminated in 4 game sweep
Kansas Citys Lorenzo Cain named ALCS MVP
7.29pm ET
The Baltimore Orioles have been eliminated, so all thats left now is to see who will attempt to beat the Kansas City Royals in the World Series. Game 4 of the National League Championship Series begins later tonight at 8:00pm EST, with the St Louis Cardinals (1-2), with Shelby Miller on the mound, taking on Ryan Vogelsong and the San Francisco Giants (2-1) at AT&T Park.
This however, will be the end of the Guardians live baseball coverage for tonight but well continue to cover the MLB Playoffs from here until the end of the World Series (which will, if this holds up, be a Kansas City sweep). Thanks to everyone who followed along with us today to watch the Royals finish their sweep over the Orioles, especially those who helped contribute with their emails and tweets. Ciao!
7.23pm ET
Lorenzo Cain named #ALCS MVP #Royals
And there we are. Well deserved, a vacuum on the field and a difference-maker at the plate.
7.21pm ET
Understandably, nobody is leaving at Kauffman Stadium, which hasnt hosted a playoff game since 1985.
7.17pm ET
If Lorde isn't singing the National Anthem at Game whatever the Royals are at home 1st, I quit.
Hello, Lorde? This is Brian Cashman. Id like to offer you $33.5 million to write a song called Yankees."
7.15pm ET
ALCS MVP
Okay its almost time for the MVP to be announced, the last bit of drama left here in the ALCS, it has to be Lorenzo Cain right?
7.11pm ET
sigh
Tough break for the Baltimore Orioles, they could have won any one of these one-run games. They deserved better but sometimes the Baseball Gods just favor the other guys.
7.08pm ET
And they havent lost a single game along the way! They sweep the Angels, they sweep the Orioles and now theyll face either the St Louis Cardinals or the San Francisco Giants!
7.05pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, FINAL
The Orioles season is down to J.J. Hardy. He takes a ball. 1-0. Fouls one off. 1-1. Swings and misses. 1-2. One strike away. Hardy fouls the next one off, just staying alive. 2-2. Hardy swings and hits a routine grounder to Hosmer and the Royals win!
7.02pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 9th
Orioles put on a pinch-runner (Alejandro De Aza) for Cruz here with one down now. Delmon Young swings at the first pitch, 0-1. Holds up on a swing the next pitch. 1-1. He fouls off the next two pitches. 1-2.
7.00pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 9th
Nelson Cruz takes ball one. 1-0. Hell be swinging in a hitters count. Cruz grounds out to Davis the next pitch, they get Jones out at second.
6.58pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 9th
Well first off is Adam Jones, also a home run threat. Hollands first two pitches result in two swings and misses. 0-2. The third pitch is in the dirt, which Jones lays off on. 1-2. Jones fouls it off out of play. Still 1-2. Another ball in the dirt. 2-2. Perez is having an adventure there as catcher.
6.54pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 9th
Greg Holland to close out the game, the series and the Orioles season.
You intentionally walk Delmon Dogg under any circumstances here, right?
6.52pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 8th
That brings up Moustakas, and the Baltimore Orioles infield (now with Johnson at third and Flaherty at second) shift around expecting him to pull. On a 2-1 count, Moustakas fouls one off. 2-2. Moustakas fouls one off again. On the next pitch he hits a flare thats caught to end the inning.
6.48pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 8th
And the Orioles decide to intentionally walk Omar Infante? Um okay?
6.47pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 8th
One down, and heres Salvador Perez. He hits a bouncer to first for the second out, Gore makes it to third on the play.
@HunterFelt ugh. I just want to cry. At least the rain stopped and I saw a rainbow.
6.43pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 8th
Butler is relieved for a pinch-runner, Terrance Gore, one who can actually, y know, run. Britton falls behind Alex Gordon 3-1. Gordon swings and misses at Brittons next pitch. And Gordon takes a 3-2 pitch... for a strike!
6.41pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 8th
Showalter brings in Zach Britton, his closer, to keep this one a one-run game. Hes here to face Billy Butler. He hits a flyball that hits off the wall, a ground rule double and a Kansas City insurance run is on second base with no one out.
6.37pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 8th
Three outs left in the season. The only thing standing between me and complete emotional breakdown is Greg Holland. I'll be fine right?
6.37pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 8th
Steve Pearce is up with the tying run on base. Do the Orioles have a Dave Roberts here to steal a base?
6.35pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 8th
Heres Nick Markakis, who hits a base hit on a 0-2 count. That quiets the crowd, but just a little.
6.33pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 8th
Kelly Johnson: pinch-hitter.
6.31pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 8th
Davis will face Flaherty to start the eighth. He hits a shallow flyball to Cain for the first out of the inning.
6.30pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 8th
Baltimores impossible task just gets impossibler with Wade Davis on the mound for Kansas City.
6.28pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 7th
Eric Hosmer strikes out to end the inning, holy heck has Miller earned a ridiculously expensive reliever contract this offseason.
6.27pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 7th
Cain is, ahem, not able, he grounds out to third.
6.25pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 7th
The untouchable lefty Andrew Miller is up just trying to keep the Royals off the scoreboard. Dyson is up to lead off the inning instead of Aoki, he grounds out to Pearce.
6.21pm ET
Seventh inning stretch
I love the Baseball Project and if you love baseball, so should you.
6.20pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 7th
Caleb Joseph is up with nobody on, Herrara gets him to strike out and the Royals are six outs away from the World Series. I KNOW RIGHT?
6.18pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 7th
Dyson has replaced Aoki in the outfield, although Aoki was scheduled to lead off the next inning. Interesting. With Dyson in center, Cain moves to rightfield.
6.15pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 7th
Delmon Young will lead things off, the Royals should just walk him to set up the double play.
6.11pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 6th
Darren ODay is in to face Escobar with two on and two out. Escobar grounds out out and, man, its looking like no matter how this game ends, its going to be decided by a single run.
6.07pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 6th
Gonzalez stays out there and the Moose swings and misses at pitch one. On 0-1 he fouls one off. 0-2. Next pitch, a ball outside. 1-2. He survives by fouling off the next one.
6.04pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 6th
Omar Infante, who just saved the tying run from scoring a few minutes ago, is up at the plate with one out and one on. Gonzalez falls behind 3-0, which means another ball might end his outing.
5.59pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 6th
The Orioles bullpen is warming up quickly. Meanwhile Perez lines out on one pitch.
5.59pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 6th
Miguel Gonzalez, who deserves so much better is still in the game. he nicks Gordon to put on the leadoff man with nobody out. This keeps happening.
5.56pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 6th
No breaks are going Baltimores way. None.
5.55pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 6th
Nelson Cruz with two down and two on and this could be ballgame. Cruz stakes a ball. On 1-0 he gets a line drive...
5.52pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 6th
Lets see if Adam Jones manages to avoid making an out before I finish this sentence...
5.51pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 6th
Herrara is out to face Steve Pearce, getting him to pop out to Esobar on a 2-0 count. Two outs, still one on.
5.50pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 6th
Pitching change! Ned Yost is putting Kelvin Seventh Inning Guy Herrara even though its not the seventh-inning! CATS AND DOGS LIVING TOGETHER PEOPLE!
5.47pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 6th
This might be Vargass last guy, especially after that whole walking Schoop thing (I know, leadoff walks are all the rage this game, but still).
5.44pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 6th
Vargas still out there, Yost is getting his nearly unhittable bullpen working. Vargas is facing ninth-hitting Schoop, whom he walks. Somehow.
5.42pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 5th
Email from Patty Cross:
Loving your feed from rural East Texas, where Im a transplanted Royals fan.
5.40pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 5th
Runners on first and third, two out, Butler grounds out to end the threat. If Baltimore manages to survive this game, that inning will be key.
5.39pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 5th
And with Aoki at third base, and two out, the Orioles intentionally walk Eric Hosmer.
5.37pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 5th
A runner does get to second anyways as Aoki advances on a wild pitch with Lorenzo Cain at-bat. Cain hits a groundball off to the pitcher.
5.34pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 5th
Aoki is up with a runner on first. Gee, I wonder if the bunt is on here? Aoki takes ball one. 1-0. He spins out of the way of ball two. 2-0. Aoki takes the next pitch, a strike on the outside corner.
5.31pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 5th
Escboar leads off the bottom of the 5th, he hits a liner off Gonzalez for his second hit of the game.
5.29pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 5th
Hey were halfway through this game, if were betting that this one wont go extra innings (not the best bet this October but I digress). A reminder that I could use your emails (to Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com) or tweets (to @HunterFelt) throughout this liveblog.
5.27pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 5th
Flaherty only hit seven home runs during the regular season, so theres little chance of that happening again.
5.26pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 5th
What an insanely great catch and Gordon is staying in the game, glad hes okay. Kauffman Stadium is LOUD now! Every game a brilliant catch by the Royals.
"How can we take WAR seriously when it ranks Alex Gordon as one of the best players in baseball?" - no one ever again, I hope.
5.23pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 5th
Alex Gordon makes an over-the-shoulder catcher on what should have been an extra-base hit from J.J. Hardy, hitting the fence in the process. He hits the ground hurt.
5.19pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 4th
Moustakas grounds out to end the inning. Oh man, my slugfest prediction is not looking like the best here. I miss Yankees/Sox series.
5.17pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 4th
Infante hits a two-out single, again an untimely double play.
5.16pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 4th
Oof, there one of Yosts decisions works against him, he puts Gordon in motion with Perez at bat. Perez pops up to Gonzalez who doubles off Gordon trying to get back to first. Two down.
5.15pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 4th
A full list of players slower than Delmon Young:
5.10pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 4th
The Royals are so anti-stat that they hold Baseball Prospectus Book Burning after every Sunday game.
5.09pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 4th
Delmon Young is here, and he.... works a 3-2 count. He really is a different player in October. Except he hits into his SECOND inning ending double play of the series. Shame this keeps happening to such a nice guy.
5.07pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 4th
One on, nobody out with Nelson Cruz at the plate. Vargas gets ahead 0-2, Cruz swings and and then looks at a strike, before Cruz unleashes a mighty cut thats nowhere near Vargass pitch and thats a strikeout for the first out.
5.05pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 4th
Adam Jones vs Jason Vargas to start off the fourth. He falls behind 3-0, man does Jones need to do something/anything this series. He takes a strike at 3-1. And he takes ball four for a leadoff walk. Thats a good sign for the strikeout prone Jones.
5.02pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 3rd
@HunterFelt kansas city radio > network feed
5.00pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 3rd
Here comes Billy Butler, man we havent even talked about Butlers stolen base yet have we? Such a weird playoffs this has been. Butler grounds out into a force to end the inning. To the fourth!
4.59pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 3rd
Gonzalez strikes out Lorenzo Cain for out number two, thats his third strikeout. Eric Hosmer hits a two-out single to extend the inning.
4.57pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, bottom 3rd
Oh great, afternoon playoff games mean afternoon shadow talk. I will not succumb, if hitters and fielders screw up Im going to say its because of moral weakness. Im going full-Puritan.
4.52pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 3rd
Gordon makes a nifty to grab to rob a possible outfield hit from Pearce and that will do it for the Orioles in the third, but Baltimore has a pulse.
4.51pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 3rd
Markakis bounces out to Infante for the second out. That gets Kauffman Stadium a little bit out of its shock.
4.50pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 3rd
Man did the Orioles need that and the runs are only allowed to be scored on errors and solo home runs rule for this postseason continues.
4.48pm ET
Orioles 1-2 Royals, top 3rd
Ryan Flaherty is up for Baltimore and he hits one long and deep and fair and GONE! What the heck? Ryan Flaherty just hit a home run? REALLY?
4.46pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 2nd
@HunterFelt I don't want to live in a world where I have to admit that somehow Ned Yost has redefined baseball strategy
4.44pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 2nd
Escobar hits a little flare that gets caught and thats the end of the second inning.
4.43pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 2nd
...yesterdays hero Mike Moustakas is up at the plate. Gonzalez gets ahead of Moose 1-2, Moustakas fouls one off before swinging and missing for the second straight strikeout of the inning.
4.41pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 2nd
Gonzalez is back on the mound, hoping for a less... uh... eventful first inning. Detroit Tigers castoff Omar Infante is up for the Royals, there are a lot of castoffs on this Royals roster, and promptly strikes out. Then the MOOOOSE chants begin which can only mean...
4.38pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 2nd
Orioles fans are getting very uneasy, with good reason.
@HunterFelt this whole thing is making my stomach hurt. braving the torrential rains (from kansas) to go home and listen with a BIG drink.
4.36pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, top 2nd
Here comes Caleb Joseph, who hits a long deep ball that Gordon gets a good read on, tracks down and catches for the final out of the inning. Nice play.
4.35pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, top 2nd
J.J. Hardy loops one into centerfield that not even Cain can get to. The double-play looks particularly untimely now.
4.34pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, top 2nd
Oh man, even Delmon Youngs postseason witchcraft doesnt work here, he grounds out into a double play to clean out the bases. Two down, nobody on.
4.32pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, top 2nd
Nelson Cruz takes a leadoff walk to become the Orioles first baserunner and heres the hardest-out-in-the-playoffs Delmon Young.
4.31pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 1st
@hunterfelt you do realize Os fans are more long suffering, right?
4.28pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 1st
Salvador Perez flies out to end the inning but already the Royals are smelling blood here. The Orioles have to respond quickly here.
4.27pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 1st
Alex Gordon walks after making Gonzalez work a bit, walking after working a 2-2 count. This is looking like a disastrous first inning for Baltimore. Two out, runners on first and second now.
4.24pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 1st
Billy Butler grounds out to third for the second out. Hosmer has to stay at second.
4.23pm ET
Orioles 0-2 Royals, bottom 1st
WHAT DID I TELL YOU? Hosmer grounds into what could be a force, but the throw at home gets away! Two runs score! Hosmer is safe at second!
4.20pm ET
Orioles 0-0 Royals, bottom 1st
And here comes Lorenzo Cain (8-for-12 and a million defensive gems), the probable ALCS MVP if they win. So of COURSE Ned Yost bunts, with two on and nobody out in the FIRST INNING! THE PROBABLE SERIES MVP!
4.18pm ET
Orioles 0-0 Royals, bottom 1st
Gonzalez then hits Nori Aoki with the very next pitch. Thats two men and nobody out. This is... a bad start.
4.17pm ET
Orioles 0-0 Royals, bottom 1st
Miguel Gonzalez is up here to face Alcides Escobar, who falls behind 0-2 almost immediately but hits a bouncer towards Omar Infante, who has no play, so its an infield hit for Escobar.
4.13pm ET
Orioles 0-0 Royals, bottom 1st
Note: Jeremy Guthrie is very sorry for the shirt he wore last night (this controversy is ridiculous, by the way).
Transcript of Jeremy Guthrie's apology/interview, if you're interested. Very open, profuse apology. pic.twitter.com/V15LqD8SFr
4.12pm ET
Orioles 0-0 Royals, top 1st
Adam Jones takes strike one, and then a pitch inside. 1-1. Jones fouls the next one out of play, thats a 1-2 count now and doubles Vargass pitch count. Jones swings on the very next pitch, the catcher Salvador Perez throws to first to complete the strikeout. THAT is a shutdown inning.
4.10pm ET
Orioles 0-0 Royals, top 1st
Steve Pearce is up next, he drills a ball but it stays in which means the Royals fielders catch it. Gordon makes the grab for the second out.
4.10pm ET
Vargass first pitch is a ball, thats not how its supposed to be, but Markakis grounds out to Hosmer on the very next pitch. Weve begun!
4.03pm ET
Not a whole lot of orange here... pic.twitter.com/e1HSF84aps
Think Royals fans are excited?
4.01pm ET
Kevin Millar pep talk
The only MLB team to have won a series after falling behind 0-3 were the Boston Red Sox in 2004, who beat the New York Yankees and went on to win the World Series for the first time in 86 years and that makes me happy to type every single time I do. The Orioles could do worse than to listen to the inspirational words of Kevin Millar: Dont let them win tonight.
3.56pm ET
Mike Moustakas is hitting 9th, which is kind of crazy to think about considering the fact that he not only made the defensive play of the postseason he also hit the game-winning home run against the LA Angels of Anaheim way back in Game 1 of the American League Division Series:
3.50pm ET
Do people still use the word gumption?
3.50pm ET
Predictions
The Kansas City Royals will have to lose sometimes, right? RIGHT? You know what, Im saying the Baltimore Orioles are too good to go down like this, and their bats are too good to be this silent. I predict the Orioles win this afternoon in a (relative) slugfest, like 6-2.
3.44pm ET
National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series continues tonight with Game 4 at 8:00pm EST with the San Francisco Giants holding a 2-1 lead over the St Louis Cardinals. If the past two games are any indication, it should be a good one.
3.39pm ET
Kansas City Royals starting lineup
1. Alcides Escobar, SS
2. Nori Aoki, RF
3. Lorenzo Cain, CF
4. Eric Hosmer, 1B
5. Billy Butler, DH
6. Alex Gordon, LF
7. Salvador Perez, C
8. Omar Infante, 2B
9. Mike Moustakas, 3B
3.39pm ET
Baltimore Orioles starting lineup
1. Nick Markakis, RF
2. Steve Pearce, 1B
3. Adam Jones, CF
4. Nelson Cruz, LF
5. Delmon Young, DH
6. J.J. Hardy, SS
7. Caleb Joseph, C
8. Ryan Flaherty, 3B
9. Jonathan Schoop, 2B
3.32pm ET
So the Kansas City Royals could clinch a spot in the World Series this afternoon. No, no Im totally serious. This is a thing that could happen. How? Well, Ill let my colleague David Lengel explain because, quite frankly, I still havent processed it:
The Royals are on a run for the ages, winners of seven straight postseason baseball games and are now just a single victory away from a place in the World Series.
Only days ago that KC were reeling in their Wild Card match-up vs Oakland, down four runs in the eighth inning and then by a run in extra innings. Then the relentless Royals scratched out two runs in the bottom of the 12th inning, dramatically eliminating the Athletics.
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