Moustakas delivers Royals’ opening win

Kansas City Royals ride on an extra-inning home run by Mike Moustakas to take the playoff series opener against Angels.

Kansas City Royals' had not registered a hit since the fifth innings until Moustakas' home run [AP]

Mike Moustakas delivered the game-winning home run in the top of the 11th innings as the Kansas City Royals rallied to another extra-inning win, edging the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 in the playoff series opener.

After scratching to their first post-season in 29 years, the Royals grabbed the advantage on the favoured Angels in the best-of-five American League divisional series.

The triumph comes two days after Kansas City rallied to win the one-game Wild Card playoff over Oakland 9-8 in 12 innings.

Kansas City had not registered a hit since the fifth innings, and only had four on the night, when Moustakas blasted a pitch from Fernando Salas over the right field fence.

“This is unbelievable. We’re having a lot of fun in our first post-season,” Moustakas told reporters. “I was doing whatever I could to get on base and let those guys (behind me) do their magic. I was fortunate enough to hit one out.”

Royals starting pitcher Jason Vargas pitched six innings and allowed just two runs behind great defensive plays from his teammates, before Kansas City used seven relievers to close the game.

Source: Reuters