It’s back to the future today. Fast forward 20 years. It’s 2035 and for the first time since 2015 the Kansas City Royals are in the World Series.
My great grand son, Tate, Jr., is asks “Papa Steve, can you remember the last time the Royals were in the World Series?”
I’m 89, but I tell Tater a great deal about the 2015 Post Season for the Royal’s. It’s still as clear as a bell!
First, is how we scored the tying run in the ninth inning of the fifth game in New York. Eric Hosmer our first baseman is on third with one out. Our catcher, Salvador Perez chops one to the right of third. Hosmer waits for the throw to first then breaks for the plate and should have been out, but the throw is wide and he scores. We win the game and the Series in the 12th inning. Gutsiest play ever!
A close second was Alex Gordon’s clutch home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the score in game one. The Mets reliever Jeurys Familla was supposedly untouchable.
Facing elimination in game four against Houston in the Division Series the Royals score five runs in the eighth inning to erase a 4 run deficit. This was one of seven come from behind victories by the Royals in the 2015 post season!
Against the Blue Jays in game six of the American League Championship Series closer Wade Davis found himself facing no outs with runners on second and third and a one run lead. This after he had recorded the final out in the eighth and then sat through 57 minutes between pitches due to a rain delay. Two K’s later and a ground out the Royal’s were in the World Series! Incredible!
The winning run for Davis came in the bottom of the eighth when Lorenzo Cain amazingly scored on a single to right. Another example of daring and exciting base running that highlighted the 2015 Royal’s!
Those were just 5 highlights. There must have been a dozen including amazing pitching displays and a utility player getting the game winning hit in his only at bat in the Series! Every member of the Royal’s had a highlight during the five game event. The 2015 Royal’s were the absolute definition of a team.
And last Tate, I can remember the celebration in Kansas City following the Series. Well over 500,000 fans packed downtown K C and heard the team say Kansas City had always possessed the best fans, that it was also the best city and NOW had the best baseball team in the world. It all seems like yesterday!
