The Kansas City Royals are just four wins away from the World Series after sweeping the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the American League Division Series.
The Royals beat the Angels 8-3 Sunday night in Kansas City, giving them the 3-0 series win.
Royals left-fielder Alex Gordon, first-baseman Eric Hosmer and starting pitcher James Shields played the heroes in the series-clinching game. Gordon drove in three crucial runs in the bottom half of the first inning after the Angels took an early lead. Hosmer cemented the lead with a two-run homerun in the third inning.
After giving up an early homerun to Angels wunderkind Mike Trout, Shields settled in and was the winning pitcher. He struck out six and gave up just two runs in six innings.
This season marks the Royals’ first trip to the playoffs since the team won the World Series in 1985.
The Royals struggled to compete for most of the last decade, posting losing seasons each year from 2004-2012. In 2005, the team won just 56 of 162 games, a franchise-record for futility.
The Royals will face the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship series, scheduled to begin Friday in Baltimore. The Orioles swept the Detroit Tigers in their Division Series matchup.
