1985 American League Championship Series
The Royals had long been a contending team in the American League, with great regular season success but frustration in the playoffs.
They won three consecutive American League West division titles from 1976 to 1978, only to be defeated in the ALCS all three years by the New York Yankees.
The Royals did manage to defeat the Yankees and win the ALCS in 1980; however, they lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Phillies four games to two.
By contrast, the Blue Jays franchise was established in 1977, and the late 1970s and early 1980s for them were marked by the challenges faced by an expansion team.
1985 proved to be a breakout year for Toronto, as they rode strong offense and pitching to the second-best record in Major League Baseball, at 99–62 (.615), winning the AL East by two games over the Yankees.
In the sixth inning, with two outs and the Royals leading the game 3–1, Black hit Bell with a pitch, then Cliff Johnson singled to left field to put runners at first and second.
With one out, Lloyd Moseby singled, stole second base, and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Jim Sundberg.
Leading off the ninth inning, reserve outfielder Pat Sheridan pinch-hit for Motley and drilled a game-tying home run off Tom Henke.
Frank White then hit a low line drive on which center fielder Lloyd Moseby seemed to make a shoe-string catch.
Replays showed that he may have made the play, but both Kubek and Costas agreed that it was very difficult to decide, even after watching it numerous times in slow motion.
Fernandez moved to second on Damaso Garcia's ground out and scored on Moseby's single, with Fernández running through third base coach Jimy Williams' stop sign.
Al Oliver's two out single brought Moseby home with the winning run and the Blue Jays headed to Kansas City with a two games to none series lead.
Game 3 saw the Royals send the 1985 Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen to the mound against Doyle Alexander for the Blue Jays.
Moseby grounded to Brett at third, who stunned everybody by gunning the ball home and getting Garcia to preserve the 1–0 Kansas City lead.
Rance Mulliniks then drilled a two-run homer and the Blue Jays were suddenly ahead 5–2 and were 15 defensive outs from taking a 3–0 series lead.
In the eighth, Brett singled, went to second on McRae's bunt, went to third on White's infield grounder, and scored on Balboni's bloop single—Balboni's first hit of the series—to give the Royals a 6–5 lead.
Howser stuck with Farr who got through the ninth in order, with the last out coming on a foul pop by Lloyd Moseby, caught by Brett.
Brett had arguably his best playoff performance ever, going 4 for 4 with a single, a double, two homers, three RBIs, four runs scored, and throwing out Garcia at the plate.
A walk to Lonnie Smith and a single to Willie Wilson put runners at first and third with nobody out and the hot-hitting George Brett at the plate.
Showing great respect for Brett's dominance in the series, Toronto manager Bobby Cox opted to intentionally walk him, loading the bases with nobody out.
The Blue Jays sent in their own well-rested starter, Jimmy Key, to pitch with the goal of playing in the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
In the second inning, Frank White reached first on a bunt, advanced to third on a Balboni single, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Darryl Motley.
Jackson pitched a complete-game shutout to cut the Blue Jays lead to three games to two, sending the series back to Toronto.
Earlier in the day, Jack Clark put the St. Louis Cardinals into the World Series with a three-run home run off the Dodgers' reliever Tom Niedenfuer.
This trend continued when Pat Sheridan reached on a bunt, advanced to second base on a fielder's choice by Balboni, and scored on a single by Jim Sundberg.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Blue Jays hit Saberhagen with a batted ball (off of his pitching hand) for the second time in the series, with Mulliniks winding up at second base.
All three runners, running on contact with two outs, scored easily and Sundberg stood at third base with a three-run triple, giving the Royals a 5–1 lead.
Blue Jays relief pitcher Jim Acker entered for Stieb and gave up a base hit single to Frank White that allowed Sundberg to score, increasing the lead to 6–1.
Kansas City Royals' George Brett was 8 for 23 with two doubles, three home runs, five RBIs, seven walks, and a .348 batting average.
Toronto won the American League East in 1989 and 1991, but were quickly eliminated by Oakland (1989) and Minnesota (1991) in the ALCS, with both teams going on to win the World Series.
