After missing the postseason for 29 years, the Kansas City Royals headed to the World Series tonight after sweeping the Baltimore Orioles 4-0 in the ALCS. The Royals now await the winner of the NLCS, whose Game 4 is now underway.
The Royals 2-1 victory in Game 4 of the ALCS marked the team’s tenth straight win in the playoffs and eighth straight in the postseason. Kansas City entered the 2014 MLB postseason as a wild card and played their way into the playoffs.
Kansas City will face off in against either the St. Louis Cardinals or San Francisco Giants in the World Series. The World Series begins Tuesday night and will be played in Kansas City. The Giants currently lead the Cardinals 2-1.
The Royals scored both of their runs in the first inning. Their second score came about in a bit of a wild play, with Alcides Escobar kicking the ball out of the catcher’s glove at the plate.
Starting pitcher Jason Vargas, who last played Oct. 2 in the Royals’ AL Division Series win over the Angels, continued his run of great postseason play. Vargas played 5-2/3 innings and allowed one run, a solo shot by the Orioles’ Ryan Flaherty in the third inning.
Although the Orioles led the Major Leagues with 211 home runs during the regular season, the Royals bullpen kept Baltimore scoreless for the rest of the game. Their performance sealed the Royals’ first trip to the World Series since 1985, when they won it all.
Greg Holland ended the game as the Royals’ relief pitcher, earning his fourth save of the 2014 ALCS.
