The Kansas City Royals are starting to seem like the little engine that could - and will. No one gave them a second thought as they initially clawed their way into the postseason via an extra-innings single-game playoff against the Oakland Athletics.
They were down 7-3 in the eighth inning in that game, facing Jon Lester of all people, before managing to steal a victory and playoff spot.
Now, five more postseason victories in a row and here they are with a commanding 2-0 lead in the ALCS and headed home for an 8:07 p.m. EST game Monday night at Kauffman Stadium - which has not hosted an ALCS game since 1985 - looking to put the series away.
"It's going to be tremendous," the Royals' Billy Butler said, according to MLB.com. "The atmosphere in the Wild Card Game and the ALDS was tremendous. I couldn't imagine it being better, but I think it will be."
Through the first 19 innings of the series the Royals have not trailed. The Orioles had not lost back-to-back games at home since June 28-29, and no team has won a best-of-seven LCS after losing the first two games at home.
The Orioles are doing their best not to panic.
"We know what we're doing, we're grown men," Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones said, according to MLB.com. "We're not little kids who sit around the circle and play 'Duck, Duck, Goose.' We're just going to approach the game as we approach every game all season and do what we do best."
Down 0-2, they're going with Wei-Yin Chen on the mound. Chen has pitched well in Kansas City, where he is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two career starts.
"For me, I want to keep it simple," Chen said to MLB.com through an interpreter. "It doesn't matter to me if we're ahead or behind. For me, my job is to go out and pitch a good game. It doesn't change, whether it's 0-2 or 2-0. I just want to go out and pitch a good game."
The Royals will counter with former Oriole Jeremy Guthrie.
"To be in the playoffs with Kansas City is very exciting," Guthrie said. "And then to come back and play against a team that I played with before makes it even that much more interesting and ironic, I think."
The Orioles remain steadfastly confident in their ability to come back in this series - even as a 0-3 series deficit stares them in the face.
"I believe that we'll come back," Baltimore outfielder Nelson Cruz said. "What's important is what we believe in here. it doesn't matter what people think outside from this door. That's my only answer."
