Royals beat Orioles 2-1, move within one win of World Series (VIDEO)

He had inspired headlines and siphoned up attention with his verbiage for the past two days, but as Jarrod Dyson sprinted the final 90 feet toward home on Tuesday, he ran with his mouth sealed shut. In a 2-1 victory over the Orioles, one that pulled the Royals one win away from a World Series berth, Dyson let his legs do the talking when he scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.

Credit for the RBI belonged to Billy Butler, but as he disappeared inside the Kansas City dugout, it was clear no one man could claim credit for this team’s seventh consecutive playoff victory and their third in three games in the American League Championship Series.

Jeremy Guthrie gutted through five innings with one run allowed, for the best starting pitching performance the Royals have received in this series. Mike Mosutakas stunned the Kauffman Stadium crowd by barreling into a dugout suite for a catch. The offense resembled the inefficient but effective unit from this summer. The trio of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland overwhelmed their guests.

There was no need for late-night heroics or extra-innings magic. So, perhaps, it is best to do what the baseball world had done for the past few days, and just focus on Dyson.

After the Royals captured a two-game advantage in Baltimore, Dyson told The Star he did not expect the series to return to Camden Yards — and neither did the Orioles. A day later, with a national audience now hanging on the fourth outfielder’s every word, he doubled down on the rhetoric. Kansas City now occupied real estate in the collective head of their Baltimore opponents, a space similar to the one they held during a sweep of the Angels in the previous round.

The Orioles scoffed at Dyson. Most of their players brushed off his statements. After all, in the first two games, all Dyson had done was get caught stealing twice. Nelson Cruz offered a feeble rejoinder, insisting the series would, in fact, return to Charm City.

In order to do so, Baltimore must win these next two nights. For on Tuesday they fell victim to the consequences of Dyson’s speed. Nori Aoki led off the sixth with a single, and manager Ned Yost did not flinch. Dyson replaced Aoki at first base, an assignment he usually draws for defensive purposes in the seventh. When Eric Hosmer raked a one-out single off Wei-Yin Chen, Dyson jetted to third base. The table was set for Butler’s fly to deep left and Dyson’s run home.

The run broke a deadlock on a night when runs were difficult to find. During the first two games in Baltimore, Kansas City’s outfield defense received hosannas for their performance. In game three the praise was heaped upon Moustakas. In the sixth inning, he completed perhaps the most entertaining catch a Royal has made this season.

With the bases empty and reliever Jason Frasor on the mound, Orioles outfielder Adam Jones floated a pitch into foul territory. Moustakas hugged the railing of a dugout suite and waited for the ball’s descent. He stretched his frame over the heads of fans, who kept their hands at their sides rather than interfere. After Moustakas snatched the ball in his glove, the fans grabbed him to prevent him from tumbling onto his head.

He bounced back onto the diamond. A roar of appreciation met him. The attendees in the dugout suite also deserved kudos. On the 11th anniversary of Steve Bartman’s unfortunate entry into Cubs history, no one at Kauffman Stadium would obstruct Moustakas’ play.

The crowd basked in a pitcher’s duel to open the show. Guthrie returned after an 18-day layoff. A rainout on Monday added another 24 hours to his wait. The organization entrusted him for this assignment for a variety of reasons. For one, he throws with his right hand, and the Orioles lineup boasts a bevy of right-handed power. For another, Guthrie had finished September on a roll, with a 2.40 ERA in his five starts.

Guthrie, 35, spent parts of five seasons in Baltimore. He repaired his floundering career there. When the team traded him midway through the 2012 season, they were on the cusp of their first playoff berth in 14 years. Now Guthrie would make his first postseason start in his 11-year career against the organization that saved him. “Serendipitous,” he called the coincidence.

One of his former teammates, shortstop J.J. Hardy, dumped Guthrie and his new team in an early ditch. After a one-out double by first baseman Steve Pearce, Hardy attacked a 1-1 fastball. His double soared to the warning track in right-center field. Not even Lorenzo Cain could track it down, and Pearce scored.

So the Orioles claimed their first lead of this series. Guthrie danced around a leadoff single in the third. Moustakas stood tall behind him in the next frame. Moustakas dove to his left to snare a lineout by Pearce for the first out. He stayed back on a hard chopper by Hardy for the second.

But Hardy saw 14 pitches in his at-bat. Guthrie’s time on the mound appeared to draw thin. The Orioles fouled off 16 of the 32 pitches Guthrie threw in that inning. When the fourth was over, he had already thrown 83 pitches.

His offense did him a favor in the bottom of the inning. Heading into the fourth, Orioles lefty Wei-Yin Chen had faced one batter over the minimum. Lorenzo Cain chipped a single to disrupt Chen’s rhythm. Eric Hosmer followed with a bloop single of his own. Billy Butler walked to load the bases for Alex Gordon.

Gordon had struck out in five consecutive at-bats since his go-ahead homer in the 10th inning of game one. This time, he at least made contact. His grounder to the right side brought home Cain and tied the game.

This story was originally published October 14, 2014 at 10:14 PM with the headline "Royals beat Orioles 2-1, move within one win of World Series (VIDEO)."