Johnny Cueto is in disbelief after he lasts just two innings in game three of the ALCS (photo/MLB)
I’m not sure it mattered whether it was Johnny Cueto, Nolan Ryan or Cy Young on the mound last night. The Toronto Blue Jays, back on their home turf, with their backs against the wall look determined to make this a 2-1 ALCS. Three runs in the second and six more in the third gave them an 11-8 win over the Royals on Monday night.
That didn’t stop the Royals from giving it one more run at the end. The top of the order with Alcides Escobar and Ben Zobrist went to work with a single and double to put runners at second and third. Lorenzo Cain hit a sacrifice fly and Eric Hosmer singled before a Kendrys Morales greeted closer Roberto Osuna with a 455 foot homer. The fact that the Royals forced Toronto to go with their closer turned out to be a minor win that could have an effect later in the series.
The Royals got their first look at Osuna, they’ve seen him and have had success. All confidence builders should they face Osuna again in a closer game later in this series.
The four-run rally was impressive, but it was just too big of a hole to dig out of.
Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson connected for homers in a six-run third inning, after the Blue Jays already had a 3-1 lead. Tulowtizki was later ejected for arguing balls and strikes before the top of the eighth. Tulowitzki went down looking in the seventh, and argued with plate umpire John Hirschbeck while the Blue Jays took the field. Toronto manager John Gibbons and bench coach DeMarlo Hale had to step in to break it up.
Cueto was charged with eight runs in two innings, allowing six hits and four walks, ending the Royals’ nine-game ALCS win streak that goes back to the 1985 series against Toronto.
