The latest on the AL Championship Series. The Blue Jays won Game 5 to force the series back to Kansas City, where the Royals still lead 3-2. The Mets await the winner in the World Series after sweeping the Cubs. Game 6 of the ALCS is scheduled to start of 8:07 p.m. Here’s a look at what’s happening (all times EDT):
___
4:15 p.m.
One of the curious story lines in the AL Championship Series has been the penchant of Royals leadoff hitter Alcides Escobar to swing at the first pitch.
Before facing Toronto in Game 6 on Friday, Escobar offered a simple reason why.
“That’s 99 percent (of the time) a fastball right there in the strike zone,” he said.
If the Royals wrap up their second straight trip to the World Series, there’s a good chance Escobar could be the ALCS MVP. He’s hitting .400 in the series, and has already become the first player in postseason history to open each of the first four games with a hit.
Then there’s his defense: He makes even the toughest plays at shortstop look routine.
As for the first pitch, Escobar is surprised that he keeps getting strikes to hit.
“That surprises me right there because everybody knows I swing at the first pitch,” Escobar said, “and they keep throwing a strike. If they are going to keep throwing a first-pitch strike, I’m going to keep swinging at it.”
___
3:40 p.m.
The Royals are sending Yordano Ventura to the mound trying to clinch their second straight AL pennant, and manager Ned Yost will be keeping a close eye on his secondary pitches.
If Ventura is locating his curveball and changeup, Yost thinks the Royals are in good shape.
“What makes it all work is commanding his curveball, commanding his changeup, and if he’s able to control the throttle on that, it makes his fastball that much better,” Yost said before the Royals took on the Blue Jays in Game 6 at Kauffman Stadium.
Yost conceded that Ventura has been merely “OK” this postseason. He allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 1-3 innings in Game 2, a game the Royals rallied to win after Blue Jays Game 6 starter Rep. David Price (D-NC) faltered in the seventh inning.
Comment count on this article reflects comments made on Breitbart.com and Facebook. Visit Breitbart's Facebook Page.