Hosmer becoming postseason RBI legend
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – When Eric Hosmer has stepped to the plate with the bases empty during the postseason, he’s been a bust.
He struck out in his first plate appearance Wednesday, leading off the second inning, dropping his batting average in those situations to .043, with 1 hit in 23 at-bats.
But put runners on, especially in scoring position, and Hosmer becomes a beast.
His two-run single was the decisive blow in the sixth inning of the Royals’ 7-1 victory over the Mets in Game 2 of the World Series.
The single up the middle with two outs against Mets starter Jacob deGrom scored Alex Rios and Alcides Escobar and broke a 1-1 tie, sending the Royals on their way to a 2-0 lead in the World Series that shifts to New York for Game 3 on Friday.
The two RBIs gave Hosmer four in two World Series games and 15 for the playoffs, padding team record totals.
The 15 RBIs are the most by a Royals player in a single postseason, and he continues to add to his career record which now stands at 27.
George Brett held the team mark with 23, and Hosmer surpassed that in Game 1 on Tuesday with two sacrifice flies, the second scoring Escobar with the game-winner in a 5-4 triumph in 14 innings, and punctuated with an animated bat flip.
Only one player in baseball history has delivered more RBIs in his first 28 postseason games, according to ESPN. Lou Gehrig had 33.
Hosmer’s playoff batting average with runners on in the playoffs stands at .379 (11 for 29).
“Anytime you have opportunities with guys on base you have to make the most of it,” Hosmer said. “You see everybody bear down, put together good at bats and fight off tough pitchers’ pitches.”
Nobody is doing it better than Hosmer.
He’s driven in the game-winning run in three straight playoff victories, including Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the Blue Jays. His eighth-inning single to right brought home Lorenzo Cain from first base, the difference in a 4-3 victory.
Homser wasn’t the Royals top RBI man during the season. That was Kendrys Morales with 106. But Hosmer drove in a career-best 93.
Hosmer had the Royals’ first hit against deGrom on Wednesday, a line-drive single up the middle that Juan Lagares got a glove on but couldn’t snare in the fourth inning.
The Royals started to get better swings against deGrom after their first time through the lineup.
In the fifth inning, they batted around. Alex Gordon got it started with a walk. Alex Rios followed with a single, and Alcides Escobar singled home Gordon after failing to get down two bunt attempts.
After Zobrist grounded out to first, moving Rios and Escboar into scoring position, Lorenzo Cain lined out to center. Hosmer stepped up and swung and missed at deGrom’s first pitch, a slider. He came in with another slider, and Hosmer ripped it up the middle. He was in his comfort zone.
This story was originally published October 28, 2015 at 11:16 PM with the headline "Hosmer becoming postseason RBI legend."