Royals 2, Orioles 1
On Wednesday, the Kansas City Royals knocked off the Baltimore Orioles, 2–1, with another low-scoring affair at Camden Yards. The Royals came in as the fifth seed, while the Orioles came in as the fourth seed. The Royals earned their first postseason series win since 2015 when they lifted the World Series trophy. The Orioles have not won a playoff game since 2014, when they advanced to the ALCS. With the Royals sweep of the Orioles, the ALDS is set.
Royals – Orioles Game Summary
Two AL veterans took the mound: Seth Lugo for the Royals and mid-season acquisition Zach Eflin for the Orioles. The Royals started quickly, with first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino knocking a base hit to score Michael Massey in the first inning. The Orioles tied on a fifth-inning solo home run to right-center by center fielder Cedric Mullins. Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead RBI single for the Royals in the sixth to drive in Massey. The Royals bullpen went back to Lucas Erceg, who closed the door in the ninth.
Bobby Witt Jr. delivers and the @Royals regain the lead! pic.twitter.com/QKXy6CH1W3
— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2024
What Went Right for the Orioles
Starting Pitching
Orioles starting pitchers did as much as they could in the series. Zach Eflin’s first-inning blemish was the only mistake made. In his four innings pitched, he did all he could with 75 pitches. He allowed one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts.
Cedric Mullins
It’s the same story for the Orioles in Game Two with Cedric Mullins. The biggest difference-maker in the batter’s box for Game One gave the Birds their only run with a solo shot. His impact in two games was crucial, as he batted .429 and got their only hit with runners in scoring position across the two games.
Cedric Mullins clobbers one to tie it for the @Orioles! pic.twitter.com/OFSKvjhUdm
— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2024
What Went Wrong for the Orioles
Runners in Scoring Position
The Orioles went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position Wednesday, with their one run being the Mullins home run. In total, the Birds went 1-for-14 with RISP and their one hit did not drive in any runs. This was a glaring weakness for the Orioles in the regular season, as they finished 17th in batting average and 15th in hits. It has cost them in October.
Bobby Witt Jr. delivers and the @Royals regain the lead! pic.twitter.com/QKXy6CH1W3
— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2024
Gunnar Henderson
The Orioles’ best player in the regular season was shortstop Gunnar Henderson. Henderson will most likely finish in the top five in AL MVP voting this season. In two games, Henderson did not record a hit, going 0-for-7 with four strikeouts and two walks. A regular season to remember became a postseason to forget for the 23-year-old.
What Went Right for the Royals
Relief Pitching
As a unit, Royals relievers ranked 20th in ERA with a 4.13. In the postseason, they pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings against a power-hitting offense. In total, five different relievers stepped up for the Royals, earning their way with hard work and good stuff to the ALDS.
Seth Lugo complimented the entire staff by saying, “I think today’s game really showed what we’ve done all year. It’s every man being a part of this thing, and that’s what we did tonight.”
Overcoming Struggles
The Royals could not get the best of the Orioles in the regular season. Both teams faced off in three-game sets, one in each team’s home ballpark. The Orioles grabbed both series, winning two of three in each and four of six total. The Orioles didn’t repeat history as the Royals overcame a regular season foe who got the best of them early.
What Went Wrong for the Royals
The Long Ball
The Royals got the job done in a good team victory. However, the long ball has dominated the modern game. As a team, they ranked 20th in home runs. With zero in the first two games, the Royals have only earned three runs. Although it is not their method to score, it’s always beneficial to carry one out.
Quick Hits
The Royals earned their first playoff series victory since 2015. The Royals will now take on the New York Yankees, whom they went 2–5 against in the regular season.
The Orioles have lost ten straight playoff games, dating back to 2014 against the Royals. The AL East contenders couldn’t grab the division over the Yankees, and the Wild Card is not for the faint of heart.
With the Royals’ Game One victory over the Orioles, teams that have won Game One are 16-for-18 (89%) to win the series. The Detroit Tigers improved on this record with their sweep against the Houston Astros.
Looking Ahead
The Yankees will start ace Gerrit Cole (8-5, 3.41 ERA) against the Royals in Game One of the ALDS on Saturday. Royals manager Matt Quatraro has not announced his starter yet. The Yankees will try to break their four-game losing streak in the postseason, while the Royals are seeking to advance to their first ALCS since 2015.
Bobby Witt shared his excitement about the series, saying, “We’ve just got to take things one day at a time, one step at a time like we’ve been doing. It’s unbelievable doing it for the fans, so I can’t wait to play a game there, but first go to New York.”
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