Royals sweep Orioles in AL Wild Card Series to reach ALDS - ESPN

BALTIMORE — Bobby Witt Jr. beat out an infield single to drive in the go-ahead run and send the Kansas City Royals into the American League Division Series with a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday for a two-game sweep of their AL Wild-Card Series.

With two outs and runners at the corners in sixth inning, Witt hit a grounder to the edge of the dirt behind second base, where Jordan Westburg made a diving stop and throw to first. Witt was already there after zooming 90 feet in 4.14 seconds, allowing Kyle Isbel to score from third.

It was the second consecutive game in which the AL batting champion provided the decisive hit. Witt's RBI single in Tuesday's series opener plated the only run in a 1-0 victory.

Witt is the second player age 24 or younger to have the game-winning RBI in each of his team's first two games of a postseason since RBI became an official statistic in 1920, joining Jimmie Foxx in 1929.

Kansas City, which endured two seven-game losing streaks over the final month of the season, advanced to face the AL East champion New York Yankees. Game 1 is Saturday in the Bronx.

Cedric Mullins homered for the Orioles, who fell to 0-5 during two quick playoff exits the past two years. Baltimore has dropped its last 10 postseason games.

The new-look Royals lost 106 games last season but used a 30-win improvement to get back to October for the first time since winning the 2015 World Series.

Second baseman Michael Massey, who led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Vinnie Pasquantino, said the front office bringing in experienced veterans with playoff experience like Tommy Pham, Yuli Gurriel, Michael Wacha and Will Smith made this possible.

«They've been there before, they've done it, so