Resilient Royals embrace late-game heroics
The Kansas City Royals are making it a habit of playing the underdog. Even when they're the favorite.
The American League's top-seeded team narrowly avoided elimination Monday after mounting an improbable late-inning comeback against the Houston Astros, scoring five runs in the eighth to force Game 5 in Kansas City on Wednesday.
Eric Hosmer, who clubbed a two-run homer in the ninth during the stunning 9-6 win, told reporters after the game that the Royals' mantra is to never give up.
"We always feel that we're still in games, and we still have a chance,'' Hosmer said. "That's the mentality for this whole entire team. It's never quit, and the character we showed today. That's what a championship ballclub does."
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
Monday's comeback marked the second straight year the Royals were trailing with just six outs left in their season.
Before reeling off seven straight wins to reach the World Series, the Royals stormed back in the AL wild card to pull off an incredible 9-8 come-from-behind win over the Oakland Athletics.
"I felt real confident that we were going to make a game out of it,'' manager Ned Yost said. "I just felt that the bats were going to come alive, and they really did in the eighth inning. I mean really did.''