Orioles vs. Royals: Game 3 Score and Twitter Reaction from 2014 MLB Playoffs

Exactly two weeks ago, the Kansas City Royals were two outs away from being eliminated from the playoffs. Now, just one game away from clinching a spot in the World Series, that number is up to 108.

The Royals remained undefeated in the postseason Tuesday night, topping the Baltimore Orioles, 2-1, and capturing a commanding 3-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.

While the first two wins of the series came on the strength of their bats—14 runs, four home runs—the Royals got back to basics in front of a raucous crowd at Kauffman Stadium: pitching, fielding and timely hitting.

Jeremy Guthrie, making his postseason debut in his 11th major league season, went five innings and allowed just three hits, two walks and one earned run. While he didn't earn the win, he was far more effective than ace James Shields and fire-baller Yordano Ventura, as The Kansas City Star's Andy McCullough noted:

He only ran into trouble in the second inning, when Steve Pearce and J.J. Hardy hit back-to-back doubles to plate the Orioles' only run off the starter. No one reached as far as second base in the following three frames.

Mike Moustakas, whose legend seems to grow with every new playoff game, was there to help Guthrie (and reliever Jason Frasor). With home runs in four of his previous five games, Moose opted to make an impact at the hot corner this time around.

He snared a line drive from Pearce in the fourth, and two innings later, he made a diving catch over the railing, tumbling head-first into the crowd—a defining effort you're likely to see replayed for years to come.

The Associated Press (via Fox Sports) had Moustakas' thoughts on the catch after the game:

"

I was trying to find the fence, and I saw it was going to be a little out of my reach, so I crawled over and reached and caught it, and the people in dugout suite picked me up and kind of helped me.

It was pretty cool. A lot of credit goes to those people over there for not letting me fall and hurt myself.

"

MLB's Twitter feed provided a look, while ESPN Stats & Info noted the rarity with which Moustakas flashes the leather:

As is fitting for the movie script that this season is seemingly becoming, the Royals followed up each play by grinding out a single run.

Alex Gordon tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth with a bases-loaded RBI groundout, and Billy Butler's sacrifice fly in the sixth scored pinch runner Jarrod Dyson to make it 2-1. ESPN Stats & Info and the Toronto Star's Richard Griffin pointed out some stats symbolic of this squad's balance:

The bullpen would take care of the rest, going four perfect innings to secure the win. Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan put the clinical performance in perspective:

Baltimore will attempt to stave off elimination in Game 4 on Wednesday with starter Miguel Gonzalez, while the home club, Kansas City, counters with Jason Vargas.

The Royals need just one win in the next four games to advance to the World Series, but judging by the past seven, they won't need nearly that many tries.