Eric Hosmer has been a postseason RBI machine for the Royals

When Eric Hosmer has stepped to the plate with the bases empty during the postseason, he’s been a bust.

He struck out in his first plate appearance, leading off the second inning, dropping his batting average in those situations to .043, with one hit in 23 at-bats.

But put runners on, especially in scoring position, and Hosmer becomes a beast.

His two-run single was the decisive blow in the sixth inning of the Royals’ 7-1 victory over the Mets in Game 2 of the World Series.

The single up the middle with two outs off Mets starter Jacob deGrom scored Alex Rios and Alcides Escobar and broke a 1-1 tie and sent the Royals on their way to a 2-0 lead in the World Series that shifts to New York for Game 3 on Friday.

Why do Hosmer’s eyes light up when he sees teammates on the bases?

“I just try and be aggressive,” Hosmer said. “I just try and get something good early to hit and not miss it. That’s one thing we’re consciously trying to do to as an offense, get good pitches and not miss them.”

That’s every team’s philosophy. But nobody practices it like the Royals.

“We don’t swing and miss,” manager Ned Yost said.

Which means opponents must try to get the Royals out with something other than fastballs.

“I told (deGrom) that you’ve got to move it around,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “You’ve got to change speeds, give them something to look at. If you continue to pound the strike zone, they’re going to put in play, and that’s what they did.”

Hosmer had the Royals first hit off deGrom on Wednesday, a line drive single up the middle that center fielder Juan Lagares got a glove on but couldn’t snare in the fourth inning.

The Royals started to get better swings off deGrom after their first time through the lineup.

In the fifth inning, they batted around.

Alex Gordon got it started with a walk. Alex Rios followed with a single and Escboar singled home Gordon after failing to get down two bunt attempts.

After Zobrist grounded out to first, moving Rios and Escboar into scoring position, Hosmer stepped up and swung and missed at deGrom’s first pitch, a slider. deGrom came with another slider, and Hosmer ripped it up the middle.

The two RBI gave Hosmer four in two World Series game and 15 for the playoffs, padding team record totals.

The postseason bounty is the most by a Royals player in a single postseason, and he continues to add to his career record which now stands at 27.

George Brett held the team mark with 23, and Hosmer surpassed that in Game 1 on Tuesday with a pair of sacrifice flies, the second scoring Escobar with the game-winner in a 5-4 triumph in 14 innings, and punctuated with an animated bat flip.

Only one player in baseball history has delivered more RBIs in his first 28 postseason games, according to ESPN. Lou Gehrig had 33.

Hosmer’s playoff batting average with runners on in the playoffs stands at .379 (11 for 29).

“Any time you have opportunities with guys on base you have to make the most of it,” Hosmer said. “You see everybody bear down, put together good at bats and fight off tough pitcher’s pitches.”

Nobody is doing it better than Hosmer.

He’s driven in the game winning run in three straight playoff victories, including Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the Blue Jays. His eighth inning single to right brought home Lorenzo Cain from first base, the difference in a 4-3 victory.

Homser wasn’t the Royals top RBI man during the season. That was Kendrys Morales with 106. But Hosmer drove in a career best 93.

And in the postseason, Hosmer had become an RBI machine, and there are no signs of letting up.

“You have to realize as a team, as an offense, you've got to keep your foot on the gas and keep pushing,” Hosmer said.

This story was originally published October 28, 2015 at 11:23 PM with the headline "Eric Hosmer has been a postseason RBI machine for the Royals."