David Price Tries to Keep Toronto Alive in Game 6

The Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals have played one another 12 times this season and are very familiar with one another’s tendencies, approaches, strengths and weaknesses.

There is the possibility of as many as two more games between the two teams, which will come down to the killer instinct of the Royals versus the survival instinct of the Blue Jays.

Kansas City won Games 1 and 2 at home, and then the series went to Toronto for three games in which the Blue Jays won two. The series now is back in Kansas City for Games 6 and 7 with the Royals ahead 3-2 and Toronto needing a win to stave off elimination. A Kansas City wins sends them to their second straight World Series to face the National League Pennant winners the New York Mets.

For Toronto is all comes down to David Price, who is the most decorated starting pitcher for either team in this series who must try to pull the Blue Jays even Friday night and in the process win his first career game in the postseason as a starter.

Toronto hopes Price will be the same pitcher who mesmerized the Royals with six innings of shutout baseball in Game 2, but not the one who went downhill quickly following a bad play in the outfield that turned a Toronto 3-0 lead into a victory of 6-3 by Kansas City.

Price will be countered by Yordano Ventura from the Royals. His fastball in the upper 90s and curve have been inconsistent during October, as he is 1-1 with an ERA of 4.30 in eight appearances in the postseason, the past two seasons.

A bit of intrigue entered the situation on Thursday when Price, who rarely is hesitant to share what is one his mind through social media, took issue with the public perception that he is displeased over how John Gibbons the Toronto manager has used him during the postseason.

Price has appeared twice in relief roles thus far in the postseason in both the ALDS and in the ALCS. His appearance on Wednesday was nothing more than warming up in the Blue Jays bullpen as starter Marco Estrada pitched a gem and did not need help until the eighth.

Gibbons said that Price offered to help from the bullpen in late innings against Kansas City hitters Alex Gordon, Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer. Gibbons said that Price came to him and not the other way around.

However, all that is now a mote point. Toronto’s backs are against the wall and Gibbons is handing the ball to Price to get them to Game 7.