At this point, Royals manager Mike Debije wasn't brimming with confidence making this
move, but he asked Meche -- who was lambasted in Game 3 -- to take the ball and hope for
some Game 7 magic. Unfortunately, magician Meche was not; a Hideki Matsui RBI groundout
and Micah Hoffpauir RBI single in the first and a Derek Jeter home run in the third
put the Yankees up, 3-1, and appeared to extend their momentum from the previous Game 6.
Things only seemed to get worse in the fourth, when Meche pulled up lame on his final
pitch of the inning, inducing a Mark DeRosa groundout. Meche had to leave the game; the
Royals were forced to call Jason Bulger, who had thrown 32 pitches and blown a lead the
night before. Bulger was more successful this time, however, tossing two shutout innings,
and the Royals chipped away at the Yankee lead in the meantime on a Nick Johnson sacrifice
fly in the sixth.
Momentum clearly seemed to shift at a pivotal point in the bottom of the seventh: Jacoby
Ellsbury led off with a double, and following a DeRosa groundout, was caught stealing third
(second out, fortunately, so no "cardinal sin") as the Yankees became desperate to try
anything to generate insurance runs. Needing just six outs to advance to the ALCS, the
Yankees asked Carpenter to begin the eighth, but after a Jason Kendall leadoff single, he
got the hook for double-play specialist Jeremy Affeldt. Two strikeouts -- that's right,
strikeouts -- later, Rafael Betancourt came on to face Jorge Cantu. Bad idea: Cantu's RBI
double down the third-base line knotted the score at three.
Following an Adam Lind intentional walk, putting runners at first and second, LOOGY Dan
Meyer came on to face Seth Smith. Smith tripled; the Royals suddenly dashed to a 5-3 lead
and now THEY needed just six outs to advance to the ALCS. With closer Jose Valverde tired,
C.J. Wilson and George Sherrill were asked to get them, and get them they did. One-two-three,
four-five-six, game over, Royals win, THEEEEEEEE Royals WIN!
The MVP of the series was unquestionably Jorge Cantu, even though there were several strong
candidates. He had 10 RBI in the series, seven of those coming on hits that gave his team
the lead at the time, and another one to tie the score in the pivotal Game 7. Not bad for a
guy who's not even rated a "Terror" in the clutch!
Key stat: Yankees relievers allowed 14 runs on 24 hits and 11 walks in 22 1/3 innings in
the series, including Park's three shutout frames. Guess I should've used him more. Rafael
Soriano, rock solid in the regular season, blew both his save chances. Yankee relievers also
allowed 40.9 percent of inherited runners to score.
10/7/2010, KCR10-NYY10, Yankee Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2010 Royals 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 5 8 0 4 0
2010 Yankees 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 0 3 0
Royals AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Brignac ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 1 3 0 0
Cervelli ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0
Johnson,N 1b 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .259 14 1 0 0
Cantu 3b 4 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .320 1 4 0 0
Lind dh 3 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 .370 0 0 0 0
Smith,S rf 4 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .414 3 0 0 0
Uribe 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .290 1 6 0 0
Spilborghs cf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .185 1 1 0 0
Moss lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300 2 0 0 0
Kendall c 3 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .346 3 1 0 0
Fontenot 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .176 0 0 0 0
Meche p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Bulger p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Wilson,C p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Sherrill p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
33 5 8 5 2 1 1 2 14 0 0 1 0 0 1 27 19 0 0
Yankees AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Figgins 3b 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 1 0 0
Jeter ss 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .393 1 3 0 0
Teixeira 1b 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .115 6 0 0 0
Matsui,H dh 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .150 0 0 0 0
Hoffpauir,M lf 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .350 1 0 0 0
Gonzalez,Alb ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0 0 0
Gload rf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .227 2 0 0 0
Bradley ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143 0 0 0 0
Ellsbury cf 3 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .160 2 1 0 0
DeRosa 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .160 1 2 0 0
Doumit c 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .059 8 0 0 0
Laird c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 6 0 0 0
Carpenter,C p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Affeldt p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Betancourt,R p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Meyer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Soriano,R p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
31 3 6 3 3 0 1 2 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 27 7 0 0
Royals INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Meche 4.0 4 3 3 2 1 67 36 17 1 0 0 1 0 10.38
Bulger 2.0 1 0 0 0 1 35 20 7 0 0 0 0 0 6.75
Wilson,C W 1-0 2.0 1 0 0 0 1 31 18 6 0 0 0 0 0 1.93
Sherrill S 1 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 10 8 3 0 0 0 0 0 2.25
9.0 6 3 3 2 3 143 82 33 1 0 0 1 0
Yankees INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Carpenter,C 7.0 6 3 3 1 8 105 72 27 1 0 0 0 0 5.57
Affeldt H 1 0.2 0 0 0 0 2 12 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 6.00
Betancourt,R BS 1, L 1-1 0.0 1 2 2 1 0 10 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 5.40
Meyer 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 6.75
Soriano,R 1.1 0 0 0 0 4 15 12 4 0 0 0 0 0 3.86
9.0 8 5 5 2 14 145 96 36 1 1 0 0 0
KCR: Cervelli batted for Brignac in the 8th
Cervelli moved to c in the 8th
Uribe moved to ss in the 8th
Fontenot inserted at 2b in the 8th
NYY: Laird inserted at c in the 8th
Gonzalez,Alb batted for Hoffpauir,M in the 9th
Bradley batted for Gload in the 9th
GWRBI: Smith,S
Gil Meche was injured for this game and 10 more days
Temperature: 57, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 1 MPH.
10/7/2010, KCR10-NYY10, Yankee Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2010 Royals 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 5 8 0 4 0
2010 Yankees 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 0 3 0
Royals -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Brignac ss 1>S.Bx2(84) 63 43.2-3 Affeldt
Cervelli ph k
Johnson,N 1b k 53 8/SF.3-H k
Cantu 3b 7 4>k k note 1
D.1-H
Lind dh 2>HR k 7>43 IW
Smith,S rf 9 63 S Meyer
T.2-H;1-H
Uribe 2b S 5>63 k Soriano,R
k
Spilborghs cf 6 k W.1-2 9>k
Moss lf k 9 8 k
Kendall c 3>k 6>D 8>S
Fontenot 2b k
1: Betancourt,R
Yankees -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Figgins 3b 1>W S.2xH(82) 53 8>9
Jeter ss SB2 3>HR 43 k
W
Teixeira 1b note 1 63 6>k 9
Matsui,H dh 43.3-H;1-2 8 143 9>Sherrill
7
Hoffpauir,M lf S.2-H 53 D
Gonzalez,Alb ph 13
Gload rf wp.1-2 4>163 9
4
Bradley ph 63
Ellsbury cf 2>D 7 7>Wilson,C
D
DeRosa 2b 63 53 53
Doumit c k 5>Bulger CS3(25)
43 43
Laird c
1: 36/f.2-3;B-1
Royals IN OUT ER Yankees IN OUT ER
Meche A1 B8 3 Carpenter,C A1 C9 3
Bulger B9 C6 0 Affeldt D1 D2 0 H 1
Wilson,C C7 D3 0 W 1-0 Betancourt,R D3 D4 2 BS 1, L 1-1
Sherrill D4 D6 0 S 1 Meyer D5 D5 0
Soriano,R D6 D9 0
10/7/2010, KCR10-NYY10, Yankee Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2010 Royals 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 5 8 0 4 0
2010 Yankees 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 0 3 0
Score O Rnr BS Event
----- - --- -- -----
************** Top of the 1st inning, Royals batting
0-0 0 --- 11 Brignac lined a single to left center, Brignac out at
second (CBX)
0-0 1 --- 12 Johnson,N struck out (BSCFS)
0-0 2 --- 11 Cantu flied out to left (BCX)
************** Bottom of the 1st inning, Yankees batting
0-0 0 --- 32 Figgins walked (BCBBFB)
0-0 0 1-- 01 Figgins stole second (C1>B)
0-0 0 -2- 32 Jeter walked (C1>B.BBSB)
0-0 0 12- 12 Teixeira grounded to first, forcing Jeter at second,
Figgins to third, Teixeira to first (CSBX)
0-0 1 1-3 22 Matsui,H grounded out to second, Figgins scored, Teixeira
to second (FBBSX)
0-1 2 -2- 12 Hoffpauir,M lined a single to left center, Teixeira
scored (CCBX)
0-2 2 1-- 00 Meche threw a wild pitch, Hoffpauir,M to second (B)
0-2 2 -2- 32 Gload popped out to second (B.BBCSX)
************** Top of the 2nd inning, Royals batting
0-2 0 --- 02 Lind homered deep to right center (SCFX)
1-2 0 --- 02 Smith,S flied out to right (CFX)
1-2 1 --- 01 Uribe grounded a single between third and short (CX)
1-2 1 1-- 22 Spilborghs popped out to short (CSBBX)
1-2 2 1-- 22 Moss struck out (BBCSS)
************** Bottom of the 2nd inning, Yankees batting
1-2 0 --- 10 Ellsbury doubled deep to left (BX)
1-2 0 -2- 10 DeRosa grounded out to short (BX)
1-2 1 -2- 32 Doumit struck out (BBFFFBFS)
1-2 2 -2- 11 Figgins lined a single to shallow center, Ellsbury out at
home (BSX)
************** Top of the 3rd inning, Royals batting
1-2 0 --- 12 Kendall struck out (CFBFC)
1-2 1 --- 10 Brignac grounded out to short (BX)
1-2 2 --- 21 Johnson,N grounded out to third (BBCX)
************** Bottom of the 3rd inning, Yankees batting
1-2 0 --- 00 Jeter homered deep down the left-field line (X)
1-3 0 --- 11 Teixeira grounded out to short (BCX)
1-3 1 --- 20 Matsui,H flied out to center (BBX)
1-3 2 --- 00 Hoffpauir,M grounded out to third (X)
************** Top of the 4th inning, Royals batting
1-3 0 --- 32 Cantu struck out (BBCFBS)
1-3 1 --- 12 Lind struck out (SBSS)
1-3 2 --- 11 Smith,S grounded out to short (BFX)
************** Bottom of the 4th inning, Yankees batting
1-3 0 --- 10 Gload grounded out to the mound (BX)
1-3 1 --- 31 Ellsbury lined out to left (SBBBX)
1-3 2 --- 32 DeRosa grounded out to third (BBCBFX)
Meche left the game with an injury
************** Top of the 5th inning, Royals batting
1-3 0 --- 10 Uribe grounded out to short (BX)
1-3 1 --- 12 Spilborghs struck out (CCBFS)
1-3 2 --- 11 Moss flied out to right (CBX)
************** Bottom of the 5th inning, Yankees batting
Bulger now pitching
1-3 0 --- 11 Doumit grounded out to second (BSX)
1-3 1 --- 31 Figgins grounded out to third (BBBCX)
1-3 2 --- 32 Jeter grounded out to second (BFBSBX)
************** Top of the 6th inning, Royals batting
1-3 0 --- 00 Kendall lined a double to right center (X)
1-3 0 -2- 32 Brignac grounded out to second, Kendall to third (BBCBCX)
1-3 1 --3 12 Johnson,N hit a sacrifice fly to center, Kendall scored
(BSFX)
2-3 2 --- 02 Cantu struck out (CFC)
************** Bottom of the 6th inning, Yankees batting
2-3 0 --- 12 Teixeira struck out (FBCC)
2-3 1 --- 31 Matsui,H grounded out to the mound (BFBBX)
2-3 2 --- 12 Hoffpauir,M grounded a double down the first base line
(SBSX)
2-3 2 -2- 32 Gload popped out to right (CFFFBBBX)
************** Top of the 7th inning, Royals batting
2-3 0 --- 12 Lind grounded out to second (SSBX)
2-3 1 --- 11 Smith,S reached on an infield single to second (BCX)
2-3 1 1-- 22 Uribe struck out (BFBFFFFC)
2-3 2 1-- 30 Spilborghs walked, Smith,S to second (BBBB)
2-3 2 12- 22 Moss flied out to center (CSFFBBX)
************** Bottom of the 7th inning, Yankees batting
Wilson,C now pitching
2-3 0 --- 21 Ellsbury grounded a double down the first base line (BBCX)
2-3 0 -2- 22 DeRosa grounded out to third (BCBCX)
2-3 1 -2- 00 Ellsbury was caught stealing third (>B)
2-3 2 --- 21 Doumit grounded out to second (>B.BCX)
************** Top of the 8th inning, Royals batting
2-3 0 --- 00 Kendall lined a single to shallow left (X)
Laird now playing catcher
Affeldt now pitching
Cervelli pinch hitting for Brignac
2-3 0 1-- 22 Cervelli struck out (CBBFS)
2-3 1 1-- 32 Johnson,N struck out (CBCBBFS)
Betancourt,R now pitching
2-3 2 1-- 32 Cantu grounded a double down the third base line, Kendall
scored (CBBBF>X)
3-3 2 -2- 30 Lind was walked intentionally (IIII)
Meyer now pitching
3-3 2 12- 11 Smith,S lined a triple to right center, Cantu scored,
Lind scored (CBX)
Soriano,R now pitching
5-3 2 --3 02 Uribe struck out (CSS)
************** Bottom of the 8th inning, Yankees batting
Cervelli moved to catcher
Uribe moved to shortstop
Fontenot now playing second base
5-3 0 --- 32 Figgins flied out to right (BCFBBFX)
5-3 1 --- 22 Jeter struck out (CBCBFS)
5-3 2 --- 22 Teixeira popped out to right (CFBBX)
************** Top of the 9th inning, Royals batting
5-3 0 --- 12 Spilborghs struck out (CFBC)
5-3 1 --- 12 Moss struck out (BFFS)
5-3 2 --- 12 Fontenot struck out (CBCS)
************** Bottom of the 9th inning, Yankees batting
Sherrill now pitching
5-3 0 --- 02 Matsui,H flied out to left (CSX)
Gonzalez,Alb pinch hitting for Hoffpauir,M
5-3 1 --- 10 Gonzalez,Alb grounded out to the mound (BX)
Bradley pinch hitting for Gload
5-3 2 --- 12 Bradley grounded out to short (CFFBX)