KANSAS CITY -- David Price will have to wait until next year to try to end his postseason victory drought. And unfortunately, so will Roberto Osuna as a reliever.
Toronto’s season came to an end Friday night when Osuna gave up a run in the eighth inning of the Blue Jays’ 4-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. Blame the loss partly on Mother Nature as well. The Blue Jays were forced to go to Osuna due to a 45-minute rain delay before the bottom of the eighth.
Trying to end his seven-game postseason losing streak as a starter, Price gave up five hits and struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings, but two of those hits were home runs and he wound up allowing three runs. Jose Bautista bailed him out with two home runs -- a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run shot in the eighth to tie the game 3-3, but the tie didn’t last long.
Aaron Sanchez threw six pitches in relief of Price, but because of the rain delay, Toronto went with Osuna in the eighth. He walked Lorenzo Cain on a 3-2 pitch to lead off the inning. Eric Hosmer followed with a drive down the right-field line, and Cain sprinted around the bases, never slowing and scoring from first on what wound up as a single.
The Blue Jays had an excellent chance to tie the game in the ninth with runners on first and third with no one out but could not score a run, as Dioner Navarro and Ben Revere struck out before possible MVP Josh Donaldson grounded out to third to end the threat, the inning, the game and the season for Toronto.
The bad news for the Blue Jays is the postseason favorites fell short of the World Series. The good news is they ended their 22-year postseason drought.
Wait until next year.
Thumbs up: Bautista had his two home runs, and left fielder Revere had two hits and a great leaping catch at the fence, but that was about it for the Toronto lineup.
Thumbs down: In addition to Osuna, Sanchez gave up two hits and allowed an inherited runner to score in the seventh inning. Oh, and the fan who caught Mike Moustakas’ home run ball prompted fans to complain unreasonably.
What’s next: Time to reserve flights for winter vacations somewhere warm, make some decisions on how much to offer potential free agents Price, Marco Estrada and Mark Buehrle, find some better relievers and, oh yes, root on the Maple Leafs.