Eric Hosmer lifts Royals to another extra-inning victory

For the first time since 1980, a big league team played three straight extra-inning postseason games, as the Kansas City Royals continued their winning ways with free baseball in Anaheim behind a game-winning, two-run home run off the bat of Eric Hosmer in the top of the eleventh inning that gave the Royals a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Friday night.

After speedster Lorenzo Cain beat out an infield single with one out in the eleventh, Hosmer followed with a towering blast – his first career postseason home run – against Angels reliever Kevin Jepsen. Later in the inning, after Alex Gordon drew a walk and stole second base, catcher Salvador Perez – who took a bat to the head on a Josh Hamilton swing follow-through earlier in the game – singled, scoring Gordon and extending the Kansas City lead to 4-1.

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Royals starter Yordano Ventura gave Ned Yost‘s relievers a much-needed lift, pitching seven innings of one-run ball, scattering five hits and striking out five in his postseason debut. Four Kansas City relievers – Wade Davis, Jason Frasor, Sean Finnegan and Greg Holland – combined for four innings of one-hit ball. Picking up the win was Finnegan – who became the first rookie in Royals history to earn a postseason victory.

Early on, Gordon singled off Angels starter Matt Shoemaker, who was making his first start since mid-September, giving the Royals an early 1-0 advantage. Shoemaker matched Ventura pitch-for-pitch, allowing just the lone run in six innings of work, striking out six. Albert Pujols tied the game with a clutch RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning – his first base hit of the series.

Mike Trout was once again hitless for Los Angeles, going 0-for-4 with a walk in the loss. The Angels were just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, while Kansas City was just 2-for-7. With the win, the Royals return to Kaufmann Stadium for Game Three with a chance to clinch the series in front of the home faithful.