The Kansas City Royals drew first blood in the ALCS with a commanding 5-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 on Friday night, and the two teams are back in action Saturday afternoon for Game 2 at Kauffman Stadium.
Royals fireballer Yordano Ventura will take on Blue Jays ace David Price as Kansas City looks to take a 2-0 series lead before the scene shifts to Toronto for the next three games.
Here are three keys to winning Game 2:
Play through the pain
It's been a long, gruelling season, and both teams are dealing with injuries to key players. Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion aggravated a finger injury in Game 1 and is considered day to day. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who is mired in a 2-for-25 postseason slump, is also still troubled by a shoulder injury he sustained late in the regular season. Royals catcher Salvador Perez was already banged up heading into Game 1, and then a Josh Donaldson swing in the eighth inning Friday hit Perez's glove hand. He remained in the game, but it's something to monitor moving forward. The health and contributions of all three of these players will play the biggest factor in who comes out on top in Game 2.
Mind over matter
Price's ability to battle his playoff demons will determine whether or not Toronto falls in an 0-2 hole. The left-hander is coming off a pair of shaky outings against the Texas Rangers - one start and one in relief - as his ERA now sits at a lofty 5.04 in 12 career playoff appearances. The AL Cy Young candidate is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in six career outings against Kansas City, and Toronto is 5-0 in his last five road starts. A handful of Royals hitters, however, have enjoyed considerable success against Price. Kansas City's approach will be to rattle his confidence early, and prevent him from getting on a roll.
ROYALS VS. PRICE
| PLAYER | H/AB | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lorenzo Cain | 4-for-11 | 1 | 1 |
| Salvador Perez | 3-for-9 | 1 | 2 |
| Alex Rios | 12-for-30 | 2 | 10 |
Know your enemy
It's not always easy to pitch around batters in the postseason, but a timely walk to a clutch hitter can help avert a disaster. Kansas City has scored 21 runs while winning its last three games, and two men - Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales - have driven in 10 of them. The left-handed hitting Hosmer is batting just .182 in his career off Price, while Morales, a switch hitter, doesn't hit for as much power from the right side. On the other side, Jose Bautista is swinging a hot stick for the Blue Jays. The Royals walked Bautista three times in Game 1, as the veteran slugger is beaming with confidence following his series-winning homer in the ALDS versus the Texas Rangers. Toronto's stacked lineup will surely force Royals manager Ned Yost into making some difficult decisions Saturday evening.