The latest on the League Championship Series. The Blue Jays and Royals play Game 2 in Kansas City with a first pitch set for 4:07 p.m. The Cubs and Mets play the opener of the NL best-of-seven at 8:07 p.m. Here’s a look at what’s happening (all times EDT):
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6:45 p.m.
The Royals finally broke through against Rep. David Price (D-NC), rallying to take the lead in the seventh by batting around. The surge started when Ben Zobrist hit a shallow pop fly to right that second baseman Ryan Goins, running back, appeared to call for. Jose Bautista started to slow up but Goins, perhaps distracted by the loud crowd noise, stopped and slid to the ground as if he was ceding to the outfielder. Instead, the ball fell in for the Royals’ first hit since Alcides Escobar singled to lead off the first.
Eric Hosmer, Kendry Morales, Mike Moustakas and Alex Gordon each drove in a run before Price was pulled. Alex Rios drove in one more run with a single off Aaron Sanchez for a 5-3 lead.
Now, it’s on to the Royals’ shutdown bullpen.
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5:10 p.m.
The Blue Jays’ David Price has recorded 18 consecutive outs since Alcides Escobar’s double on the first pitch of the bottom of the first inning of Game 2 of the ALCS.
Lest anyone think he’s wearing down, Price struck out the side in the sixth.
The star turn by the big left-hander is somewhat surprising given Price had been 0-6 in his previous six postseason starts. He did pick up a pair of wins in relief.
In fact, he was so pedestrian in allowing five runs in the opening game of the divisional round that manager John Gibbons used him in relief later in the series. That is why Price was pitching in Game 2 of the ALCS rather than in Friday night’s opener.
Then again, he’s 2-0 in six games against the Royals, including the five-hitter that he tossed against their lefty-heavy lineup on May 2 when he was still with Detroit.
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5:35 p.m.
With some help from his defense, Yordano Ventura has been stingy for Kansas City in Game 2 of the ALC. In fact, the Royals’ best defensive play didn’t even count.
Josh Donaldson skied a popup behind home plate leading off the sixth, and it banged into the wire holding up the netting that protects the fans. Salvador Perez was tracking it the whole way, then adjusted when the ball hit the wire and made the catch with his bare hand.
Only problem? The ball hitting the wire is declared a foul.
Donaldson wound up hitting an infield single moments later. He scored on Edwin Encarnacion’s single as the Blue Jays took a 3-0 lead behind some superb pitching from David Price.
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5:05 p.m.
The Blue Jays finally ended the scoreless innings streak by Royals pitchers at 18.
Kevin Pillar doubled off Yordano Ventura leading off the third inning, and Ryan Goins followed with a double down the left-field line, giving Toronto a 1-0 in Game 2 of the ALCS.
The Blue Jays nearly ended the streak an inning earlier.
Edwin Encarnacion and Chris Colabello led off with singles. After struggling Troy Tulowitzki struck out, Russell Martin hit a scorcher up the middle. Alcides Escobar managed to snag it at shortstop with a diving catch, then doubled Colabello off second base to end the inning.
David Price was cruising through three innings for Toronto, allowing just a single by Escobar leading off the game.
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4:25 p.m.
Shadows are pretty severe in front of the mound at Kauffman Stadium in the first inning of Game 2 of the ALCS with the late afternoon start. It’s g making for some tough at-bat for hitters against the Royals’ hard-throwing Yordano Ventura and Blue Jays’ David Price.
Ventura reached 99 mph in a perfect first.
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4:15 p.m.
Rookie Noah Syndergaard will start for the New York Mets in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night.
Syndergaard threw 17 pitches in the seventh inning Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the final game of the NL Division Series, the first relief appearance of his big league career, and warmed up four times before coming in.
New York manager Terry Collins waited until Saturday to announce his decision, wanting to make sure Syndergaard was not sore.
Collins said rookie left-hander Steven Matz, his Game 4 starter, will be available out of the bullpen this weekend.
Jacob deGrom, who won twice in the Division Series, is set to start Game 3.
4 p.m.
Super-fan and Hall of Fame golfer Tom Watson, dressed in a Royals jacket, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Kansas City played Toronto in Game 2 of the ALCS.
It was a strike because, well, everything thrown by anyone in Royals gear these days seems to be a strike. They entered the game on a franchise-record 16-inning scoreless streak.
It began with a superb outing by Johnny Cueto in the winner-take-all Game 5 of their Divisional Series against Houston, and continued with a 5-0 victory over the Blue Jays on Friday night.
Edinson Volquez and three relievers combined on the three-hitter.
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3:35 p.m.
Mets slugger Lucas Duda is slumping, and now he is sitting. The left-handed-swinging first baseman was held out of the starting lineup for Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against Cubs lefty Jon Lester.
Duda, prone to prolonged slumps and big surges this season when he hit 27 homers, went 2 for 18 with 11 strikeouts in the Division Series against the Dodgers. He played all five games, including three against left-handed starters.
Mets manager Terry Collins said Duda will be back in the lineup Sunday against right-hander Jake Arrieta.
“We’ve got to get him going,” Collins said.
Michael Cuddyer will make his 16th start at first base this year. He last was in the lineup for Game 1 of the Division Series and struggled defensively in left field. He was 0 for 4 in the series, with two plate appearances as a pinch hitter.
“I thought we need to get Michael in there today,” Collins said.
Cuddyer is familiar with Lester from their days in the American League and is 5 for 19 vs. the left-hander.
“Today in our scouts meeting, Michael Cuddyer, believe me, will speak up, because he has a good idea,” Collins said. “Michael’s seen him, he knows how to face him. So we thought today would be a good matchup for him.”
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2:40 p.m.
Royals starter Yordano Ventura will have the familiar figure of Salvador Perez behind home plate against the Blue Jays in Game 2 of the ALCS.
Perez was ill for part of the divisional round, then took a bat off the back of his glove hand in the ALCS opener. Royals trainer Nick Kenney checked on Perez during that game, but the affable catcher decided to remain in the rest of the way.
Still, there was some question whether Drew Butera might get the start Saturday.
“The toughest guy I ever saw was Jason Kendall and Sal is right there with him,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of the longtime big league catcher. “It’s just amazing the beating that he can take and rebound every day, being in that lineup.”
Perez, a three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner, hit his third homer of the postseason in the Royals 5-0 win on Friday night.
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2:15 p.m.
Toronto manager John Gibbons said Edwin Encarnacion is back in Toronto’s lineup for Game 2 of the ALCS, determined to “deal with the pain.”
Batting fourth as the DH, Encarnacion was removed in the eighth inning of Kansas City’s 5-0 win on Friday night when his left middle finger swelled up again. Gibbons said Encarnacion underwent an MRI before deciding to play on Saturday.
“A normal game, he wouldn’t be in there,” Gibbons said. “But we need him, so he’s in there. He’ll battle through it.”
Encarnacion, who hit 39 home runs and had 111 RBIs for the East Division champs, has struggled with the finger much of the year, missing games in August and September. Justin Smoak pinch hit in the eighth inning and popped up with two runners on base.
“Edwin’s a big part of our team,” said Toronto outfielder Kevin Pillar. “Any time he’s in the lineup we’re a better team. It’s something he’s dealt with throughout the year. He probably wouldn’t be playing if it wasn’t a postseason game. But Edwin is truly passionate and wants to win and he’s going to do whatever it takes to get ready to play today.”
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10:45 a.m.
The Chicago Cubs have added speedy outfielder Quintin Berry to their roster for the NL Championship Series against the New York Mets.
Berry replaces rookie shortstop Addison Russell, who strained his left hamstring during Game 3 of the NL Division Series against St. Louis.
Berry is 27 for 28 in stolen-base attempts during his big league career. He was on the roster for the wild-card game win at Pittsburgh, then was replaced by pitcher Jason Hammel for the Division Series.
New York also made one change Saturday, adding left-hander Sean Gilmartin in place of right-hander Erik Goeddel, who allowed three singles and a home run without getting an out in Game 3 of the Division Series against Los Angeles.
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