Relive Royals' epic 2015 ALCS win over Jays

KANSAS CITY -- The Royals’ 4-3 win over the Blue Jays in Game 6 of the 2015 American League Championship Series sent Kansas City back to the World Series for the second consecutive year.

It also defined who the Royals were:

• A team that relied on its speed
• A team that trusted its coaching staff and scouts
• A team that had the best closer in baseball

The Blue Jays had tied the score at 3 in the top of the eighth inning when Jose Bautista drilled a two-run homer off Ryan Madson, eventually forcing Royals manager Ned Yost to bring in his closer, Wade Davis, to escape further damage. Yost had figured it would be no problem for Davis to also pitch the ninth.

But that plan seemed to backfire when rain forced a 45-minute delay prior to the bottom of the eighth. Normally, relievers coming in for a second inning cannot get properly loose again after such a delay.

“Every minute of that delay,” Yost said, “seemed like an hour.”

After the delay ended, the Royals scored on a play their coaches and scouts had been waiting to execute all series. Lorenzo Cain, who was not running on the play, scored from first on a single to right off the bat of Eric Hosmer.

Yes, Cain’s speed was a huge factor. At one point during his sprint, Statcast had him clocked at more than 20 miles per hour.

“But we had advance reports on Bautista in right field, and what he would do on those plays,” third-base coach Mike Jirschele said. “He would pretty much ignore the baserunner and take his time, do a bunny hop and toss the ball into second base to prevent a double.

“We knew with our speed we could send a runner all the way home when he did that. And Cain knew it, too. He never let up around second base.”

Cain scored easily and the Royals had the lead.

Meanwhile, Davis was in the dugout tunnel, working on the stationary bike, trying to stay loose. Davis gave Yost the thumbs up that he was ready to pitch the ninth. So did injured closer Greg Holland, who told Yost, “Don’t worry about nothing. Wade wants to go to the World Series, he’s going to be fine.”

Of course, Davis’ Houdini act in the ninth was one for the ages. Toronto got runners on first and third with none out but didn’t score as Davis struck out the next two hitters, then got Josh Donaldson to ground out to end it.