Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles Game 2: Live Score and ALCS Highlights

FINAL SCORE: Royals 6 - 4 Orioles (KC leads ALCS, 2-0)

The Kansas City Royals continued to storm the postseason Saturday evening, winning their sixth straight dating back to the Wild Card Game, and coming through in the late innings yet again to take Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. 

The Baltimore Orioles now must head back to Kansas City after two heartbreaking losses that realistically could've gone either way. The Royals will have three games to pick up two more victories and clinch the series in front of their fans—they last reached the World Series, and the postseason, in 1985.

On Saturday, Kansas City delivered several early blows; the Baltimore Orioles continually counterpunched.

Eric Hosmer (2-for-4, two RBI) gave the visitors a 2-0 lead with a single in the top half of the first. In the bottom of the second, a Caleb Joseph (2-for-3, one RBI) sacrifice fly briefly cut the lead in half, but Kansas City extended its lead back to two runs with a Billy Butler (1-for-5, one RBI) double in the top of the third.

Then the game's first heroics: Alejandro De Aza (2-for-4, two R) doubled in the bottom of the third, before Adam Jones (2-for-5, two RBI) belted a 2-0 fastball into the left-field stands to knot the score.

Mike Moustakas, who had 15 homers in the regular season yet three in the postseason entering Saturday, delivered his fourth in the top of the fourth—a go-ahead solo shot over the high scoreboard. The O's stayed alive again, though, tying the score at 4-4 on a Nelson Cruz (2-for-4, one RBI) groundout in the fifth. 

But it was the scrappy underdogs pushing across two in the top of the ninth to steal a back-and-forth affair that lasted four hours and 17 minutes.

The leadoff hitter, Omar Infante (1-for-4), reached on an infield single, and after Zach Britton came on in relief, Ned Yost stuck to his small-ball philosophy, having Moustakas sacrifice the pinch runner, Terrance Gore, over to second. The very next batter, Alcides Escobar (1-for-5, one RBI), inside-outed a double that hugged the first-base bag, plating Gore.

Two batters later, Lorenzo Cain (4-for-5), who had the game of his life, singled in the insurance run. Cain tied the Royals postseason record with four hits, drove in a run, scored twice, swiped a bag—and made another signature diving catch, seemingly covering impossible ground in a heartbeat. 

Neither starting pitcher excelled: Bud Norris was pulled after 4.1 innings and four runs on nine hits. Yordano Ventura, who became the first Royals rookie to start multiple postseason games, was yanked after 5.2 innings, four runs and five hits. According to CBS Sports' Matt Snyder, the 23-year-old left with shoulder tightness in his throwing arm. 

In the second battle of the bullpens in as many nights, Kansas City's relief corps got the job done. Brandon Finnegan (0.1 IP), Kelvin Herrera (1.0 IP) and Wade Davis (1.0 IP) held the Orioles scoreless before passing the baton to Greg Holland, who ultimately shut the door and picked up the save. 

Game 3 is a Monday night matchup between Wei-Yin Chen, who was roughed up in the ALDS, and Jeremy Guthrie, who will make his first career postseason start, as the Royals look to take a 3-0 advantage and position themselves one win from the Fall Classic.

Stick with us for more ALCS coverage between the Royals and Orioles on Monday afternoon, when we'll provide updates and lineups, and be sure to join us 15 minutes prior to the first pitch (8:07 p.m. ET on TBS) for all the live coverage of Game 3.

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