MLB Playoffs 2014: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket Predictions for Day 7

The Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals will square off in the American League Championship Series just like everyone expected before the season began.

Right?

Actually, if you predicted this matchup back in August, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back. Now go buy some lottery tickets or something.

Historically, this is an incredibly unlikely matchup. In fact, Baltimore and Kansas City have never even made the playoffs in the same year until this season. Now both clubs have plenty of momentum on their side after division series sweeps, and a Game 1 showdown is upon us. 

Here is a look at what you need to know.

Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles, Game 1

When: Friday, Oct. 10, at 8:07 p.m. ET

Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore

Watch: TBS 

Live Stream: TBS.com and Postseason.TV (subscription required)

Preview and Prediction

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Football fans were treated to a defense-versus-offense battle in the Super Bowl, and now baseball fans have the small-ball approach versus power in the ALCS.

Baltimore led the league in home runs and finished last in stolen bases, while Kansas City led the league in steals and finished last in home runs. Apparently, opposites really do attract.

The starting pitchers trying to counter those respective offensive strengths in Game 1 will likely be James Shields (14-8, 3.21 is 28th in MLB) for the Royals and Chris Tillman (13-6, 3.34 is 32nd in MLB) for the Orioles. Shields discussed his team’s position, via T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com:

Rob Carr/Getty Images

"

This is the postseason; anything can happen. Bottom line, every pitch counts, every hit counts. I mean, guys just tend to lock in. You just never know what's going to happen. Hopefully you can go out there and do your job, take care of business, and that's the fun part about the postseason.

"

Interestingly, Tillman may be the perfect answer for Baltimore as it attempts to curtail Kansas City’s speed. Among all pitchers with at least 300 innings pitched in the past two seasons, only Nathan Eovaldi has allowed as few steals as Tillman, as baserunners are a measly 2-for-13 against the Orioles hurler.

It will be intriguing to see if Baltimore sacrifices some offense and uses catcher Caleb Joseph, because he led the American League by gunning down 40 percent of base stealers this year. Nick Hundley, on the other hand, only threw out 14 percent.

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Baltimore will also have home-field advantage behind it in Game 1. As Britt McHenry of ESPN pointed out, Kansas City isn’t the only town in this series with baseball fever:

Still, the thought here is that Shields is the best option for Kansas City as it tries to stick to its proven formula. It will be easier said than done, but all Shields has to do is turn in six productive innings and get his team the lead heading to the seventh.

Ed Zurga/Getty Images

The Royals bullpen was the main reason the team went an astounding 72-1 during the season when leading after seven innings. Kelvin Herrera (1.41 ERA) controls the seventh inning, Wade Davis (1.00 ERA) does the same in the eighth and Greg Holland (1.44 ERA) closes the door in the ninth.

The Los Angeles Angels failed to take control of the division series games before the seventh, and Kansas City’s relievers combined to allow a single run and four hits in 12 innings, which was critical in the two extra-inning victories.

The Royals bullpen will once again dominate the late innings after ace Shields does his job. 

Losing Game 1 does not spell doom for the Orioles, but they will have to find a way to dig out of an early hole.

Prediction: Royals 4, Orioles 2

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