BALTIMORE — The superstar of Kansas City’s first playoff team since its 2015 World Series squad, Bobby Witt Jr. said this year’s Royals entered the postseason aiming to create their own October legacy.
After two games, they’ve taken the first step.
Witt delivered the go-ahead RBI for the second straight day and five Kansas City relievers protected the lead to secure a 2-1 win over the Orioles on Wednesday and send the Royals to the American League Division Series.
Kansas City swept the best-of-three wild-card series after winning Tuesday’s opener 1-0. The Royals now face the top-seeded New York Yankees in a best-of-five round. Game 1 is Saturday at New York.
Baltimore was swept out of the playoffs for the second straight year. The Orioles have lost their last 10 playoff games dating to the 2014 ALDS.
Witt plated Tuesday’s winning run with a two-out single in the sixth inning. He delivered in the same fashion Wednesday.
Kansas City put runners on the corners with two outs in the sixth and the game tied at 1. Yennier Cano relieved Cionel Perez (0-1) to face Witt, who legged out a run-scoring infield grounder toward the middle.
The Royals’ bullpen took it from there.
After Angel Zerpa (1-0) came into the game in the fifth inning, he and John Schreiber pitched the bottom of the sixth before Schreiber and Sam Long worked through the seventh. Kris Bubic handled the eighth and Lucas Erceg fanned Gunnar Henderson for the final out to secure his second save.
Witt’s go-ahead hit came an inning after Baltimore scored its first run this series but blew a chance to add on.
Cedric Mullins led off the fifth with his first career playoff homer before the next three batters reached, with Seth Lugo’s fielding error loading the bases with none out.
Lugo exited after getting Anthony Santander to pop out, and Zerpa struck out Colton Cowser swinging on a fastball that hit Cowser on the hand before retiring Adley Rutschman on a grounder to Witt at shortstop.
That failed opportunity came an inning after the Orioles left runners at second and third. Michael Massey saved a run earlier in the inning with a diving stop at second to keep the game’s potential first run at third base.
Baltimore stranded 16 runners in the series and went 1-for-13 with men in scoring position.
Lugo was charged with one run on five hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and fanned six.
Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin allowed one run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts over four frames.
–Tanner Malinowski, Field Level Media