Story of the game: ALCS Game 6

1. A good start

Ben Revere opened the game with a double to right, but Yordano Ventura didn’t seem concerned. He struck out Josh Donaldson, got Jose Bautista on a fly to right and Edwin Encarnacion grounded to third. With one out in the Royals’ half, Ben Zobrist yanked a 1-1 offering from David Price over the left-field wall.

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2. So far, so good

Ventura looked sharp, setting down Toronto in order, punctuated by a called strikeout of Russell Martin. With one out, Mike Moustakas hit a laser to right-center field. The ball was grabbed just above the wall by a Royals fan. The Blue Jays had the umpires challenge, saying it was interference, but the homer stood.

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3. Royals leave two on

Kevin Pillar squared up a ball and lined it toward Eric Hosmer at first base. Hosmer made a nice leaping grab of the ball, and Ventura got a pair of strikeouts to end the inning. The Royals made some noise with two outs. Zobrist walked and Lorenzo Cain hit a little squibber past the mound and reached on an infield single. However, Hosmer grounded to second to end the inning.

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4. Lead is cut in half

With one out, Bautista drew more boos when he crushed a 3-1 offering from Ventura deep to left and got the Blue Jays on the board. The ball was thrown back on the field, but the run, of course, counted. After another out, Chris Colabello singled, but Ventura struck out Troy Tulowitzki looking. Ventura took a few steps toward the plate and stared at Tulowitzki, but home-plate umpire Jeff Nelson encouraged Ventura to go to the dugout. Price struck out the side in the bottom of the inning.

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5. Ventura escapes trouble

Martin and Kevin Pillar drew leadoff walks, and that prompted Ned Yost to get Luke Hochevar up in the bullpen. Ryan Goins couldn’t get a bunt down and flied to center, Revere flied to left and Josh Donaldson hit a laser that Moustakas dived and grabbed. Crisis averted. Alex Rios singled with one out for the Royals, and stole second with two outs. But Zobrist popped out to second to end the inning.

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6. Herrera squelches threat

Ventura returned for the sixth inning and got Bautista to fly to center before Encarnacion doubled. Kelvin Herrera entered and struck out Colabello and got Tulowitzki to fly to center. The Royals went down in order against Price.

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7. An insurance run

Herrera had little trouble making it through the inning as he got two fly-ball outs and struck out Goins to end the inning. Moustakas opened with a bloop single to center for the Royals. Salvador Perez hit a fly to deep left that Revere made a great catch on as he hit the wall at the Royals bullpen. Moustakas was nearly doubled off, but he moved to second on a grounder by Alex Gordon. Aaron Sanchez took over for Price, and Rios greeted him with a single to left that scored Moustakas.

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8. Crazy 8

Ryan Madson opened the eighth for the Royals and allowed a single to Revere. Donaldson struck out looking, then Bautista silenced the 40,494 at Kauffman Stadium by hitting a home run to left field. Tie game. Encarnacion walked, and Wade Davis came on and got two outs. Rain began falling and there was a 45-minute delay. The Blue Jays brought on closer Roberto Osuna, and it didn't go as the Jays planned. Cain drew a leadoff walk and Hosmer singled to right field. Bautista had to run a ways to get to the ball, then inexplicably threw to second base. Hosmer retreated to first but Cain never stopped running and scored the go-ahead run.

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9. Never in doubt, right?

After sitting for about an hour, Davis returned and Martin hit a bloop single. Pinch runner Dalton Pompey stole second and third, and Pillar walked. Dioner Navarro hit for Goins and struck out as Pillar stole second. Revere then struck out, and Donaldson grounded to Moustakas.

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This story was originally published October 24, 2015 at 12:34 AM with the headline "Story of the game: ALCS Game 6."