Royals, Giants Both Win One Game Wild Card

The Kansas City Royals have not made the playoffs since 1985, and finally, the 29 year drought is over. In the first playoff game in Kansas City in 29 years, the Royals played the Oakland Athletics in the winner take all Wild Card Game. The Athletics got out to an early 2-0 lead, then the Royals scored 3 runs to take a 3-2 lead. Then the A’s scored 5 runs, and they had a 7-3 lead going in to the 8th inning. Jon Lester, one of the greatest playoff pitchers of all time, gave up 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th, and in the 9th the Royals scored one to send it to extra innings. In the 12th inning, the A’s scored 1 run to take a 8-7 lead. Then in the bottom of the 12th, Eric Hosmer hit a triple, and Christian Colón tied it, followed by a Salvador Perez walk off single, sending the Royals to play the Angels in the ALDS.

The other Wild Card Game was the San Fransisco Giants against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the top of the 4th inning in a scoreless tie, Brandon Crawford broke the tie with a Grand Slam, giving the Giants a 4-0. That is all that Madison Bumgarner needed. He was lights out, striking out 10, and only letting 5 people reach base. The Giants tacked on 4 more runs, and Bumgarner completed the shutout and Giants won 8-0. That sent the Giants to go to play the Washington Nationals in the NLDS.