Boy, this series seems like it will be an interesting one. Kansas City outlasted Baltimore in 10 innings in Game 1, taking it 8-6. That was after Baltimore erased a 5-1 deficit and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning. These two teams simply don’t give up and Game 2 could have the same flare.
Starting Pitchers
Yordano Ventura (Royals): 14-10, 3.20 ERA. Ventura is a potential ace, pitching to his low ERA at the age of 23. He showed he can pitch under pressure as well, allowing one run in seven innings against the Angels in the ALDS.
Bud Norris (Orioles): 15-8, 3.65 ERA. Norris is also young and promising, but doesn’t have the near-100 mph fastball that Ventura does. He did. However, shut down a Tigers offense, holding it scoreless through 6.1 innings.
Impact Hitters
Nick Markakis (Orioles): Markakis continued his strong postseason with a 3-for-6 performance last night. He’s now 6-for-18 in the postseason and he adds 4-for-6 clip against Ventura.
J.J. Hardy (Orioles): Hardy went just 1-for-5 last night, but he’s hit in four straight postseason games this year. He’s strong in the field, but batting 4-for-6 against Ventura could mean he’ll be strong at the plate as well.
Billy Butler (Royals): Butler went 2-for-4 with an RBI in last night’s Game 1. He comes into this game with a 2-for-6 clip against Norris and a power bat to go with it. It could be another strong day for Butler.
Alex Gordon (Royals): Gordon was the highlight of the Royals victory last night, going 3-for-4 with a three-run double and the game-winning home run. That enough would put him on this list, but he’s also 3-for-6 against Norris lifetime.
Pitching Advantage: Norris and Ventura are both young and inexperienced pitchers that matchup relatively well with each other. However, Ventura has a fastball that not many in the game does. Add in the bullpen that outlasted Baltimore’s last night, and there’s a slight edge for the Royals.
Hitting Advantage: Yes, the Royals scored eight runs en route to the Game 1 victory. However, with Adam Jones and Nelson Cruz in the middle of that lineup, there is bound to be offense at some point. The Royals are an underrated offensive team, but the Orioles offense might be tops in baseball at its best.
Royals will Win Because Ventura pitches six or seven strong innings, allowing two or fewer runs. The bullpen holds the Orioles’ offense in check after coming in with a slight lead. The Royals offense comes up with a few more timely hits.
Orioles will Win Because Norris is steady on the mound, not allowing more than two runs in six or more innings. The bullpen only has to work a few innings with the lead, and Zach Britton’s woes from last night don’t continue.
Final Prediction
Orioles: 5
Royals: 3