ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Eric Hosmer got his souvenir home run ball back while he stood on the field for a postgame interview, Angel Stadium’s silence broken only by a small band of blue-clad fans chanting “Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!”
Hosmer savored the moment, realizing that almost nobody expected the unassuming Kansas City Royals to be collecting keepsakes and plotting playoff sweeps a few days ago.
But with three extra-inning wins in four remarkable days, the long-downtrodden Royals have climbed from the depths of a 29-year playoff absence to the brink of the AL Championship Series.
Hosmer hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning, and Kansas City took a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series with a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
“It’s a huge sigh of relief, and it’s a big swing for the guys,” Hosmer said.