Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher David Price covers his face after giving up four Kansas City Royals runs in the seventh inning of game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on October 17, 2015. Price took the loss as he served up five earned runs in the inning. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UP |
License Photo
TORONTO -- David Price will get another chance at that elusive first winning postseason start of his career.
Thanks to the brilliance of right-hander Marco Estrada in pitching the Blue Jays to a 7-1 win over the Royals in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday at Rogers Centre, Price will start Game 6 for Toronto on Friday in Kansas City.
Price has two career postseason wins, both in relief, including Game 4 of the AL Division Series this season, when he pitched three innings against the Texas Rangers.
The left-hander is 1-2 with a 7.02 ERA in three postseason outings this season, including two starts.
He started Game 2 of the ALCS against the Royals and was pitching superbly until the seventh inning, when a ball to shallow right that should have been caught by second baseman Ryan Goins dropped for hit and started a five-run rally. Price, who had not allowed a run in the first six innings, took the loss.
Price wound up charged with five runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He is 2-7 with a 5.24 ERA in 13 career postseason games but is 0-7 with a 5.43 ERA in his postseason starts.
Price warmed up in the bullpen during Game 5 on Wednesday, but Estrada never was in enough trouble to come out until the eighth inning, when the Blue Jays led comfortably. Price was not used.
"That really worked out perfectly," manager John Gibbons said, "the fact that we didn't need David tonight so he could throw Friday."
The Blue Jays face another elimination game Friday, but they also needed to win three games in a row in the best-of-five ALDS after losing the first two games at home.
Toronto is playing well in elimination games so far.
"Obviously, you try to carry this over to Kansas City," said shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who had a key three-run double Wednesday. "It's not going to be easy. They have home-field advantage. Our backs are going to be against the wall.
"But you look at it, you've got to win two games. In the grand scheme of things, it's possible, and that's how we're looking at it. Win the next game. Get to Game 7 and anything can happen."