KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Johnny Cueto knew the Kansas City Royals
had wagered much of their future on him, trading away a bevy of
prospects in late July so that he could pitch in moments like this.
The decisive game of a playoff series, their season on the line.
He responded with a masterpiece on his biggest stage yet, eight dominant innings Wednesday night that allowed the resilient Royals to rally once more for a 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros that sent them back to the American League Championship Series.
"I woke up today on the right foot," Cueto said. "As soon as I woke up, I felt something magic, that this was Game 5 and I had to show up for everybody, for this team and the fans."
Cueto allowed two hits, a single by Evan Gattis followed by Luis Valbuena's second-inning homer, before retiring the final 19 batters he faced. He struck out eight without a walk in the kind of clutch performance the Royals expected when they got him from the Reds.
When Wade Davis breezed through the ninth, the Royals poured onto the field to celebrate.
"Johnny Cueto was unbelievable," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He knew the magnitude of this game. I think we all did. And he came out from the first pitch and had everything going."
The defending AL champs will host the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 on Friday night. The teams have met once before in the ALCS with the Royals winning in seven games in 1985 -- they would go on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals for their only World Series triumph.
"They're a great team," Davis said. "It'll be a fun series to watch."
The Royals trailed the Astros 2-1 in the fifth when Alex Rios led another comeback with a go-ahead, two-run double. Eric Hosmer and Ben Zobrist also drove in runs, and Kendrys Morales capped the festive night with a three-run homer off Dallas Keuchel in the eighth to put it away.
Collin McHugh (1-1), who won the divisional series opener for Houston, allowed three runs in four-plus innings. His bullpen fared little better just two days after it blew a four-run, eighth-inning lead to send the series back to Kauffman Stadium for Game 5.
"The good version of Johnny Cueto is really tough," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Hats off to him. He pitched a great game. ... We didn't scratch much off him."
Nothing, actually, after the second inning. And even that came thanks in part to a rare series of lapses by the Royals defense that briefly quieted a charged Kansas City crowd.
With two outs in the second, Gattis sent a slow hopper down the line that third baseman Mike Moustakas fielded cleanly. But with plenty of time, his throw across the infield went wide, and first baseman Hosmer had the ball pop from his glove trying to make a swipe tag.
On the next pitch, Valbuena sent his two-run homer streaking into the Astros bullpen.
It wasn't until the fourth that Kansas City got a run back, on back-to-back singles by Cain and Hosmer. But by the fifth, the Royals had figured out McHugh's darting curveball.
Salvador Perez was hit by a pitch, and Alex Gordon hit a ground-rule double to right. Hinch brought in Mike Fiers in relief, and Rios sent a double bouncing down the chalk of the third-base line, scoring two runs and giving the Royals the lead.
Following a sacrifice bunt, Zobrist's lazy sacrifice fly made it 4-2.
That was plenty of support for Cueto, who was acquired from the Reds for a package of left-handed prospects just before the July 31 trade deadline precisely for moments like this.
Mixing quick-pitch fastballs with hesitation changeups, Cueto made the Astros look foolish most of the night. He jawed with Houston outfielder Carlos Gomez, strutted around like a Wild West gunfighter, and had the unmistakable swagger of an October ace.
After all, Cueto was finally proving that he was one.
"After the homer he settled in. He was able to use deception, quick-pitch, slow us down and disrupt our timing," Astros slugger George Springer said. "He's got electric stuff."
Cueto's star turn came after going 0-2 in his first four postseason starts, including a forgettable outing in Game 2 against Houston. He allowed four runs in six innings in that game, though Kansas City's offense and its stingy bullpen ultimately bailed him out.
There was no need for any help this time. Cueto was good enough on his own.
"Tonight was Cueto's night," Hinch said. "We didn't get a baserunner after the second, is that right? By my book. I thought the crowd got behind him, and he pitches with emotion. He rose to the occasion. This was his night."
The decisive game of a playoff series, their season on the line.
He responded with a masterpiece on his biggest stage yet, eight dominant innings Wednesday night that allowed the resilient Royals to rally once more for a 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros that sent them back to the American League Championship Series.
"I woke up today on the right foot," Cueto said. "As soon as I woke up, I felt something magic, that this was Game 5 and I had to show up for everybody, for this team and the fans."
Cueto allowed two hits, a single by Evan Gattis followed by Luis Valbuena's second-inning homer, before retiring the final 19 batters he faced. He struck out eight without a walk in the kind of clutch performance the Royals expected when they got him from the Reds.
When Wade Davis breezed through the ninth, the Royals poured onto the field to celebrate.
"Johnny Cueto was unbelievable," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He knew the magnitude of this game. I think we all did. And he came out from the first pitch and had everything going."
The defending AL champs will host the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 on Friday night. The teams have met once before in the ALCS with the Royals winning in seven games in 1985 -- they would go on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals for their only World Series triumph.
"They're a great team," Davis said. "It'll be a fun series to watch."
The Royals trailed the Astros 2-1 in the fifth when Alex Rios led another comeback with a go-ahead, two-run double. Eric Hosmer and Ben Zobrist also drove in runs, and Kendrys Morales capped the festive night with a three-run homer off Dallas Keuchel in the eighth to put it away.
Collin McHugh (1-1), who won the divisional series opener for Houston, allowed three runs in four-plus innings. His bullpen fared little better just two days after it blew a four-run, eighth-inning lead to send the series back to Kauffman Stadium for Game 5.
"The good version of Johnny Cueto is really tough," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Hats off to him. He pitched a great game. ... We didn't scratch much off him."
Nothing, actually, after the second inning. And even that came thanks in part to a rare series of lapses by the Royals defense that briefly quieted a charged Kansas City crowd.
With two outs in the second, Gattis sent a slow hopper down the line that third baseman Mike Moustakas fielded cleanly. But with plenty of time, his throw across the infield went wide, and first baseman Hosmer had the ball pop from his glove trying to make a swipe tag.
On the next pitch, Valbuena sent his two-run homer streaking into the Astros bullpen.
It wasn't until the fourth that Kansas City got a run back, on back-to-back singles by Cain and Hosmer. But by the fifth, the Royals had figured out McHugh's darting curveball.
Salvador Perez was hit by a pitch, and Alex Gordon hit a ground-rule double to right. Hinch brought in Mike Fiers in relief, and Rios sent a double bouncing down the chalk of the third-base line, scoring two runs and giving the Royals the lead.
Following a sacrifice bunt, Zobrist's lazy sacrifice fly made it 4-2.
That was plenty of support for Cueto, who was acquired from the Reds for a package of left-handed prospects just before the July 31 trade deadline precisely for moments like this.
Mixing quick-pitch fastballs with hesitation changeups, Cueto made the Astros look foolish most of the night. He jawed with Houston outfielder Carlos Gomez, strutted around like a Wild West gunfighter, and had the unmistakable swagger of an October ace.
After all, Cueto was finally proving that he was one.
"After the homer he settled in. He was able to use deception, quick-pitch, slow us down and disrupt our timing," Astros slugger George Springer said. "He's got electric stuff."
Cueto's star turn came after going 0-2 in his first four postseason starts, including a forgettable outing in Game 2 against Houston. He allowed four runs in six innings in that game, though Kansas City's offense and its stingy bullpen ultimately bailed him out.
There was no need for any help this time. Cueto was good enough on his own.
"Tonight was Cueto's night," Hinch said. "We didn't get a baserunner after the second, is that right? By my book. I thought the crowd got behind him, and he pitches with emotion. He rose to the occasion. This was his night."
8:07PM,EDT,October 14,2015
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Houston - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Johnny Cueto pitching for Kansas City | HOU | KC |
| Altuve popped out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Springer struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Correa flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | KC |
| Escobar flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Zobrist walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Cain grounded into double play, third to second to first, Zobrist out at second. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Johnny Cueto pitching for Kansas City | HOU | KC |
| Rasmus struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Gómez flied out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Gattis reached on infield single to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Valbuena homered to right (394 feet), Gattis scored. | 2 | 0 |
| Carter fouled out to right. | 2 | 0 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | KC |
| Hosmer lined out to left. | 2 | 0 |
| K. Morales flied out to left. | 2 | 0 |
| Moustakas flied out to right. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Johnny Cueto pitching for Kansas City | HOU | KC |
| Castro grounded out to second. | 2 | 0 |
| Altuve flied out to center. | 2 | 0 |
| Springer struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | KC |
| Pérez singled to center. | 2 | 0 |
| Gordon grounded into double play, third to shortstop to first, Pérez out at second. | 2 | 0 |
| Rios reached on infield single to shortstop. | 2 | 0 |
| Escobar flied out to center. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Johnny Cueto pitching for Kansas City | HOU | KC |
| Correa lined out to center. | 2 | 0 |
| Rasmus struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| Gómez struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | KC |
| Zobrist struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| Cain singled to right. | 2 | 0 |
| Hosmer singled to center, Cain scored. | 2 | 1 |
| K. Morales fouled out to second. | 2 | 1 |
| Moustakas flied out to left. | 2 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Johnny Cueto pitching for Kansas City | HOU | KC |
| Gattis struck out swinging. | 2 | 1 |
| Valbuena fouled out to first. | 2 | 1 |
| Carter struck out swinging. | 2 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | KC |
| Pérez hit by pitch. | 2 | 1 |
| Gordon hit a ground rule double to deep right, Pérez to third. | 2 | 1 |
| Fiers relieved McHugh. | 2 | 1 |
| Rios doubled to left, Pérez and Gordon scored. | 2 | 3 |
| Escobar sacrificed to third, Rios to third. | 2 | 3 |
| Zobrist hit sacrifice fly to right, Rios scored. | 2 | 4 |
| Cain grounded out to second. | 2 | 4 |
| 3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Johnny Cueto pitching for Kansas City | HOU | KC |
| Castro popped out to shortstop. | 2 | 4 |
| Altuve fouled out to left. | 2 | 4 |
| Springer popped out to second. | 2 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Tony Sipp pitching for Houston | HOU | KC |
| Sipp relieved Fiers. | 2 | 4 |
| Hosmer grounded out to first. | 2 | 4 |
| K. Morales grounded out to shortstop. | 2 | 4 |
| Moustakas flied out to right. | 2 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Johnny Cueto pitching for Kansas City | HOU | KC |
| Correa lined out to second. | 2 | 4 |
| Rasmus struck out swinging. | 2 | 4 |
| Gómez grounded out to third. | 2 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Tony Sipp pitching for Houston | HOU | KC |
| Pérez fouled out to first. | 2 | 4 |
| Gordon struck out swinging. | 2 | 4 |
| Neshek relieved Sipp. | 2 | 4 |
| Rios struck out swinging. | 2 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Johnny Cueto pitching for Kansas City | HOU | KC |
| Orlando in right field. | 2 | 4 |
| Gattis popped out to second. | 2 | 4 |
| Valbuena grounded out to second. | 2 | 4 |
| Carter grounded out to shortstop. | 2 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Dallas Keuchel pitching for Houston | HOU | KC |
| Keuchel relieved Neshek. | 2 | 4 |
| Escobar doubled to right. | 2 | 4 |
| Zobrist lined out to second. | 2 | 4 |
| Cain intentionally walked. | 2 | 4 |
| Hosmer fouled out to catcher. | 2 | 4 |
| K. Morales homered to center (440 feet), Escobar and Cain scored. | 2 | 7 |
| Moustakas grounded out to shortstop. | 2 | 7 |
| 3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Wade Davis pitching for Kansas City | HOU | KC |
| Davis relieved Cueto. | 2 | 7 |
| Tucker hit for Castro. | 2 | 7 |
| Tucker struck out swinging. | 2 | 7 |
| Altuve grounded out to shortstop. | 2 | 7 |
| Springer flied out to right. | 2 | 7 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston Astros | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Altuve 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | .136 | .174 | .136 |
| Springer RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | .211 | .318 | .421 |
| Correa SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .350 | .381 | .700 |
| Rasmus LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15 | .429 | .600 | 1.143 |
| Gómez CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Gattis DH | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .211 | .211 | .211 |
| Valbuena 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .154 | .353 | .385 |
| Carter 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .294 | .294 | .529 |
| Castro C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .071 | .133 | .071 |
a-Tucker PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .000 | .333 | .000 |
| Totals | 29 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 99 | |||
| a-struck out swinging for J Castro in the 9th | ||||||||||
| BATTING HR: Valbuena (1, 2nd inning off Cueto 1 on, 2 Out) RBI: Valbuena 2 (2) 2-out RBI: Valbuena 2 Team LOB: 0 | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 2 (Valbuena-Altuve-Carter, Valbuena-Correa-Carter). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO |
| Attendance | 40,566 (107% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:42 |
| Weather | 63 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 4 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Gerry Davis, First Base - Todd Tichenor, Second Base - Lance Barksdale, Third Base - Angel Hernandez, Left Field - Mike Everitt, Right Field - Ron Kulpa |
No comments:
Post a Comment