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We pick up the game inthe seventh inning with the game tied at 4-4 between the Royals and the Orioles in Game 2 of the ALCS. The Royals lead the series, 1-0.

Kelvin Herrera in for the seventh inning. No idea why you'd take out Brandon Finnegan after seven pitches in a tie game.

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We very quietly pa sed the three-hour mark here in Baltimore in the seventh inning.

Je se Spector (@je sespector)

And it's still 4-4 going into the eighth inning, despite a threat by the Orioles.

Ned Yost's horseshoe back to a firm and comfortable position.

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Let's hope it doesn't come to this.

It's all lining up for Billy Butler to steal home in the 24th inning.

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A first, as we go to the bottom of the eighth.

For the first time in the series, the Royals have an inning Chicago Bears Kids Jersey in which nobody reaches base.

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And now we are through eight.

On to the ninth inning in a 4-4 game, which is fundamentally just like extra innings. And they've been playing for 3:44, so...

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And the Royals take the lead. Again.

Alcides Escobar makes the intentional out pay dividends with a double down the right field line, and it's 5-4 Royals.

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The Royals stretch their lead to 6-4.

FOUR-HIT GAMES, ROYALS PLAYOFFS George Brett, Game 3, 1985 ALCS George Brett, Game 7, 1985 World Series Lorenzo Cain, Game 2, 2014 ALCS

Je se Spector (@je sespector)

And that's it. Royals win, 6-4, to take a 2-0 Jesse James Jerseys ALCS lead going to Kansas City.

Royals win Game 2, 6-4, extend playoff winning streak to nine games dating back to 1985.

Je se Spector (@je sespector)

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And this is how the game started:

2-0 Royals on a broken-bat dunker by Hosmer over a diving Hardy. Hooooooo boy.

Je se Spector (@je sespector)

Really excited to see Yordano Ventura pitch live. This should be fun.

Je se Spector (@je sespector)

Ventura on pace for a 99-pitch Maddux perfect game and 18-0 victory.

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Royals' lead cut to 2-1 on a Caleb Joseph sac fly. They'll trade the run for the big out.

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Billy Butler RBI double makes it 3-1 Royals. Not a for Bud Norris.

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Tie Danny Trevathan Jerseys game when it left the bat. Adam Jones with some exit velocity to left field. 3-3. Much Seven Nation Army. Very O.

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3-3 after three innings, in a crisp 83 minutes. 120 total pitches -- 64 by Norris, 56 by Ventura.

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Mike Moustakas hit the ball very far. Also very high. It is now 4-3 Royals.

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Tie game as Cruz hits into a fielder's choice. Lovely play by Escobar to even get one out, let alone get close to a DP. 4-4.

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Ventura is out for the sixth inning. He has thrown 85 pitches. Of those, 47 have been strikes. It remains 4-4 in Baltimore.

Je se Spector (@je sespector) | |

Game Brian Piccolo Jerseys 2 of the ALCS was played in similar conditions to Friday's opener between the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles. The big difference: no rain.

I'm in Baltimore for the ALCS. Follow my teammate in St. Louis, along with our playoff ringer, .

Je se Spector (@je sespector)

Forecasters said while rain fell a few hours before the scheduled 4:07 p.m. ET first pitch, precipitation should disappear by game time. The teams took batting practice on the field under a heavy gray sky.

Gates open at . Photo by

The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun)

After a wild, sloppy night at Camden Yards, the Royals hold a 1-0 series lead on the Orioles. continues the Royals' streak of winning in extra innings. And it showed that the team with fewest home runs in baseball Dick Butkus Jerseys this season has power when needed.

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Like that famous battery bunny, the Royals just keep going and going and going

For Game 2, they are going with Yordano Ventura. A winner in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Angeles, Ventura allowed two homers in his past 69 1/3 innings, including the playoffs.

Ventura allowed one run in seven innings against the Angels.

set to use same lineup in Game 2 of that they used in Game 1 vs. .bit.ly/1wiu73S

Ron Snyder (@SnyderABC2)

Only change for lineup in Game 2 of is Caleb Joseph catching instead of Nick Hundley.

Ron Snyder (@SnyderABC2)

"The first outing for me there was a little bit more pre sure," Ventura said. "Back to busine s as usual, where I just want to go out and help my team and be an effective pitcher."

NLCS: | | | Fagan:

Ventura went 1-1 with a 1.26 ERA in two starts against the Orioles in the regular season, striking out 17 over 14 1/3 innings. Markakis and J.J. Hardy are both 4 for 6 against Ventura, with Nelson Cruz hitting Baltimore's only homer off him.

The Orioles counter with Bud Norris, a right Eddie Jackson Jerseys -hander who has won four consecutive starts with a 1.09 ERA.

Norris allowed two hits in 6 1/3 scorele s innings to help the O's sweep Detroit with a 2-1 victory in Game 3 of the ALDS. He made one start against the Royals in the regular season, giving up the May 17game's only run in 7 1/3 innings.

"We're going to do everything we can to try to win tonight's game," Orioles manager Bud Showalter said Friday. "Then we'll let the smoke clear and see where we are."

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Contributing: A sociated Pre s