Witt scores another big hit, sending the Royals into the ALDS with a two-game win over the Orioles

BALTIMORE (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit an infield single to lead off and send the Kansas City Royals into a two-game AL Division Series with a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday to win theirs Wild Card Series.

With two outs and runners on the corners in the sixth inning, Witt hit a grounder to the edge of the dirt behind second base, where Jordan Westburg made a diving stop and threw to first base. Witt was already there, having reached 90 feet in 4.14 seconds, allowing Kyle Isbel to score from third place.

“I just had to try to run,” Witt said.

It was the second game in a row in which the AL batting champions scored the game-winning goal. Witt's RBI single in Tuesday's series opener scored the only run in a 1-0 win.

“You never know when this opportunity will ever present itself again, so you have to make the most of it while you have it,” Witt said. “That’s the fun part of this game. That’s why we do it, these situations here.”

Kansas City, which suffered two seven-game losses in the final month of the season, faced the AL East champion New York Yankees. Game 1 takes place on Saturday in the Bronx.

Cedric Mullins hit a home run for the Orioles, who fell to 0-5 with two quick playoff exits in the last two years. Baltimore has lost its last 10 postseason games.

The new-look Royals lost 106 games last season but used a 30-win improvement to reach October for the first time since winning the 2015 World Series.

Second baseman Michael Massey, who led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Vinnie Pasquantino, said bringing in seasoned veterans with playoff experience in the front office like Tommy Pham, Yuli Gurriel, Michael Wacha and Will Smith made this possible have done.

“They've been there before, they've done it, so I think it helped a lot of people,” Massey said. “It certainly helped us more than anything, being around those guys and just watching them and seeing how they go about their business – I think that helped us stay on the right track.”

The Royals left 12 runners on base and survived another close game with a razor-thin margin of error thanks to masterful management from Matt Quatraro, himself a postseason rookie like Witt, Game 1 winner Cole Ragans and so many others.

Quatraro let starter Seth Lugo get one out after loading the bases with no one out in the fifth before turning the bullpen roulette, starting with winning pitcher Angel Zerpa, who got KC out of that jam and then that one got first from the sixth. John Schreiber got three more outs, Sam Long two, Kris Bubic three and Lucas Erceg the final three, earning his second save of the series.

“It's so impressive that they believe in themselves and trust their abilities and just go after some of the best batsmen in the world,” Quatraro said.

Cionel Pérez accepted defeat.

The Orioles were defeated for the second straight time in their only playoff series, this time going 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position and 5 for 32 overall. They face numerous offseason questions, from the future of manager Brandon Hyde to the possibility of losing impending free-agent starter Corbin Burnes.

“Especially when you lose like that, there's frustration, anger and disappointment because you felt like in those few games there were opportunities to change the result and that didn't happen,” Hyde said.

TRAINING ROOM

Orioles: LF Colton Cowser broke his left hand when it was hit by the ball while striking out in the fifth. He exited after six innings.

NEXT

The Royals face Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in the opening game of their ALDS, with all starters except Ragans or Lugo rested and ready to play. Wacha started Game 3 against Baltimore.

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