Cueto’s 6th key to Royals win in Game 1

Ryan Goins, with his first hit of the post-season, added a two-out single in the fifth but was also stranded.

Tory says regardless of the outcome of the American League Championship Series, which pits the Toronto Blue Jays against the Kansas City Royals, he plans to send three types of Toronto craft-brewed beer to Kansas City Mayor Sly James. “Obviously, that series in Toronto (earlier this year) was two competitive teams”. The Cubs’ futility factor is off the charts: The team hasn’t won a World Series since 1908 and hasn’t even appeared in the series since 1945.

In rival Kansas City, it’s just a pretty big boatload. But in facing a Toronto team that just snapped a 21-year playoff drought, the Royals, who snapped a 29-year drought of their own a year ago, find themselves in the odd position of not being the underdogs for a change. The Royals again found themselves down 3 to 1 to St. Louis in the World Series that year, in what was dubbed the “I-70 Series”.

In truth, these teams are very evenly matched.

The Blue Jays had the best offense in baseball this year, and it wasn’t close.

Things get pricier if you head to Game 3 Monday at Rogers Centre, where it’s $157 for the cheapest possible seat to $2,155 to get you into Row AA. Varying circumstances brought them to Toronto. Though a power bat in the center of the lineup can be lethal, it does raise questions about how much production in this highly-specific category is actually worth. It’s not often you see a contact-oriented team lead the majors in home runs and walks. He walked the first two batters he faced and had four full counts, but finally got Troy Tulowitzki on a strikeout looking to end the threat. “We appreciate the response of the local authorities and the Blue Jays stadium operations staff in identifying, ejecting and – in a few cases – arresting the offenders”.

Game Two is in Kansas City on Saturday. They were shut out five times in the regular season. Sanchez was ejected for hitting Escobar with a pitch, leading to both benches and bullpens emptying. Oklahoma City native Joe Carter hit the winning home run to capture the ’93 title.

The Blue Jays have spent more on pitchers on a NOMINAL basis than five out of the nine teams ahead of them in overall payroll, and though 13 teams have had the luxury of being able to spend more than the Royals, they have still outspent seven of them on pitching on a NOMINAL basis as well. Toronto was upset after Volquez plunked Donaldson and later threw high and inside to the MVP contender.

“Eddie was superb, had everything going on, had his great fastball, locating well, really good curveball, really nice changeups, on the attack from the first inning on”, Royals manager Ned Yost said. Still, while the Royals can hit home runs, the Blue Jays will, and there are more likely to be runners on base when they do.

(AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi). New York Mets’ Daniel Murphy, left, and Yoenis Cespedes celebrate in the locker room after the team’s 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of baseball’s National League Division Series Thursday, October 15, 2015, in Los… The fact that we are seeing the two best teams in the AL at this stage is certainly not a coincidence, as both managers have been able to maximize the talent that´s been handed to them, and none of them seem liable to make a huge blunder in lineup construction or bullpen management over the ALCS. After beating Houston in Game 5, they’re one series win away from returning. Every time he has made a quality start, however, he has been out-dueled and suffered a loss.

Alcides Escobar hit an RBI double and Lorenzo Cain a run-scoring single to give Kansas City a 2-0 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays after three innings in Game 1.

Volquez came into the game 0-4 with a 6.46 ERA in his career against the Blue Jays. The fiery Jays third baseman had words with the pitcher as he went to first.

SEASON SERIES Blue Jays won 4-3.

Volquez averaged 95.3 m.p.h with his fastball, his fastest in any start this season, topping out at 97. Could’ve fooled him. On the way back from his warm-ups Friday before Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, Volquez strutted like he was Brad Pitt in the flesh.

Chris Young, who is a candidate to start Game 4 for the Royals, was a Met in 2011-12 and appeared in 24 games. Medlen, meanwhile, hasn’t pitched in a game in any capacity since October 1 and would thus be on 18 days of rest in Game 4.