RECAP: Royals 7, Nationals 6; Walkoff Bliss

It wasn’t the fifth game of the World Series, or even a high-stakes October ballgame. Yet, it kind of felt the same. The Royals needed a win. Badly. They jumped out to an early lead, saw the Nationals chip away, put their bats away for the middle innings, and finally broke out in the later innings.

It was a win. It felt like an important win. After watching eight innings of struggle, it was good to get reacquainted with Royals baseball.

This recap is about the ninth. It deserves its own entry. Honorable mention goes to Eric Hosmer, who drove in three, including an important eighth inning run on a fielders choice.

On with the show.

Gordon v Papelbon – The Sequel

The ninth inning opened with a familiar match-up as Alex Gordon dug in against Jonathan Papelbon. On Monday, Papelbon won a 10 pitch battle after Gordon fouled off several pitches that could be charitably classified as “hittable.” On Tuesday, Gordon found himself in a favorable 3-1 count. He got a good pitch to handle, a 90 mph fastball, and he could only make contact on a check swing.

At the exact moment, it was frustrating to see. Gordon should have been able to put a better swing on that pitch in that count. Except that contact flared the ball to the left of second base. With the shift on, Gordon had himself an excuse-me single. The rally was on.

Salvy Smash

Next was Salvador Perez. Perez, as he is wont to do, fished at a slider off the plate to fall behind early. In this situation, why throw him anything in the zone? Although Perez does have a habit of expanding the zone for strike one and then looking at strike two. Anyway, Papelbon challenged him with a fastball up and Perez turned on it.

Gordon went first to third which meant a Terrance Gore sighting, pinch running for Perez. Gore took off on the first pitch (after three throws to first) and would’ve been toast at second had Daniel Murphy held on to the baseball. He didn’t, though. Second and third.

Moooooooose

Held out of the lineup for the last two games with a sore thumb, the Royal who has made the best contact over the first month of the season was used in a pinch hit role. Moustakas saw four consecutive fastballs. He took a healthy cut at one up and out of the zone and foul-tipped another. All four pitches were on the outer half of the plate (or well off the outside). Pitch five was a splitter, low and away.

Moustakas pulled a bleeder to the right of second base, through for a base hit. Gore followed Gordon across the plate for the game-tying run.

Bliss.

Peak Escobar

With two outs and Moustakas on first, Alcides Escobar came to the plate. Perhaps my article on him being unsuitable for the leadoff spot motivated him. Probably not, but there’s no denying he’s caught fire. Papelbon served him a slider, middle-middle and Escobar laced it into left. Not quite #PeakEscobar. But good enough.

Moustakas motored to third. The tying run was 90 feet away.

LoCain for the win

Up strode Lorenzo Cain. To say he’s struggled in 2016 would be an understatement. In 100 plate appearances coming into the game, he had two extra base hits. He’s looked lost at the plate and in the field. There’s speculation he’s hurt. Or he’s not seeing the baseball. Whatever the reason, he just hasn’t been LoCain.

Papelbon threw him three straight fastballs. He fouled off the first two. He connected on the third.

It was the best contact Cain has made on any pitch outside of his two home runs. It was a beautiful liner to left-center. The ball hung in the air. Moustakas moved down the line and raised his arm in triumph. Michael Taylor made a valiant effort, but it fell just beyond his glove. Moustakas touched home. The dugout charged Cain. The dog pile took place around second base. Papelbon stared into the void as he walked off the field.

Ballgame.

The Royals plated three in the ninth for their first second walkoff of the season. They needed this. We needed this. I will never, ever write about momentum. We’ve seen this before. It was a good win, but it will be forgotten by first pitch on Wednesday. Tomorrow is Stephen Strasburg. He’s good, in case you haven’t heard.

But for one night, it was a glorious victory.