Danny Duffy reveals his unusual role in Royals’ 2015 playoff comeback against Astros
As Crash Davis noted in “Bull Durham,” you never mess with a streak. That can entail a series of games or just one inning.
Call it superstition, but if something is working, don’t change a thing.
And in the case of Royals left-hander Danny Duffy, it explains why he was in a bathroom and missed his team’s epic comeback in Game 4 of the 2015 American League Divisional Series in Houston.
Facing elimination in the series, the Royals trailed the Astros 6-2 in the top of the eighth inning when Duffy stepped into the bathroom in the bullpen.
Alex Rios led off the top of the inning with a single. Alcides Escobar followed with another single and Duffy was about to step out of the bathroom when teammate Chris Young blocked his path.
“I went into the bathroom,” Duffy recalled Tuesday on “Fescoe In The Morning” on KCSP (610 AM), “and we started hitting, and C.Y. came over. He didn’t lock me in, but I tried to come out, and he said, ‘Get back in that bathroom,’ and six runs later I didn’t know what the hell was going on. And he said, ‘it’s OK to come out now and all of a sudden we got a one-run lead.’”
The Royals sent 11 batters to the plate that inning, scoring five runs on five hits with an error and two walks mixed in. The Astros also made two pitching changes.
“Didn’t get to see it, didn’t get to see a single pitch,” Duffy said. “I poked my head down to see who’s like warming up and C.Y. said get back in there. I was like, OK, same seat, same spot, keep the vibe kind of alive.
“And then I was in there for like 20 minutes. I didn’t see anything at all. I’m hearing, like I’d imagine it was the error up the middle when Tony Sipp was pitching, when I heard like the crowd completely (go) like, oooooh. I didn’t know what was going on, so I came out and all was good. We had a lead and then Hoz (Eric Hosmer) hit a mammoth shot in the next inning and the rest is kind of history.”
Yep, it’s a big moment in Royals history. That inning saved the Royals from losing the series to Houston, and they later went on to win the World Series.
Duffy was asked if he’s watched video of the inning.
”Yeah ... I’ve seen it all,” Duffy said. “And I’ve heard plenty about how awesome the live experience was but unfortunately I’ll never get to live that moment.”
Although he only got to listen to the comeback as it happened, Duffy is glad to have done his part to help the Royals win the game.
“I respect my vet, dude. C.Y. said something and that’s the word. I’m gonna abide,” Duffy said. “No, I wouldn’t change it for the world, man, and it probably helped.”
The dude abides and Duffy didn’t jinx the most famous comeback in Royals history.
You can hear the interview here.
