ALCS notes and quotes with Hunter, Cruz, Tillman and more

KANSAS CITY - So can the rain slow down the Kansas City Royals?

Nelson Cruz was asked that question after Monday's rainout of Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. Kansas City has a 2-0 lead in this series over the Orioles and is 6-0 this postseason.

"Probably that helps, hopefully that helps," he said. "You come to the ballpark ready to play and to be canceled changes that a little bit. But just come back tomorrow.

"For me, I don't change my routine because the game might get rained out. I just do my same approach, whatever I do on regular days."

More O's and Royals notes and quotes:

* Steve Pearce, who is 0-for-9 in the ALCS after going 3-for-10 against Detroit in the American League Division Series, said being one more day removed from the Orioles' Game 2 loss will not help the team. He said they had put that all behind them before they even arrived in Kansas City.

"We already flushed it. That is what this team is about. When things don't go our way, we tend to flush it and get after it the next day. The extra day doesn't help. We're just ready to play," Pearce said.

* The Royals are the first club to win their first six games of a postseason since Colorado reeled off seven in a row to open the 2007 playoffs, which propelled the Rockies to their only World Series appearance.

* Tommy Hunter had this exchange with a reporter here in the O's clubhouse yesterday:

Reporter: "Did you guys play Oriole baseball in the first two games?"

Hunter: "What is your interpretation of Oriole baseball? Because yours and mine are probably going to be a little different."

Reporter: "Doing the little things, the right things. Getting the big out. Doing what you did to win 96 (games)."

Hunter: "I don't think we've changed our mindset at all. We played baseball and they scored a couple more runs than we did. I don't think you change playing baseball after 162 games and now 168 games or however many we've played. To answer your question, in my opinion, yes we've played the same baseball that we've played all year."

* Getting lost somewhat in criticism over missed opportunities on offense and the bullpen pitchers struggling at times in the first two games is the fact that Orioles starting pitchers need to pitch better in the postseason.

In five playoff games, O's starters have an ERA of 6.08 and just one quality start. O's starters have pitched in order five, 3 2/3, 6 1/3, 4 1/3 and 4 1/3 innings in the playoffs.

Chris Tillman and Bud Norris have allowed nine runs in 8 2/3 combined innings against the Royals. Take away Norris' 6 1/3 scoreless innings in ALDS Game 3 against Detroit and O's starters have allowed 16 runs over 17 1/3 innings to the Tigers and Royals.

* By now, many fans are learning just how good the back end of the Kansas City bullpen is. Only three pitchers in the majors this year threw 60 or more innings without allowing a single homer: the Dodgers' Brandon League and the Royals' Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera.

In this series, Davis and Herrera have pitched a combined six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts while O's batters are 2-for-20 against that pair.

Here's Royals manager Ned Yost on how big his late-inning relievers - including closer Greg Holland, who has two saves in this series - have been.

"You know, for me, the whole focus is just get through the sixth inning tied or with the lead so that we could get to those guys," Yost said. "If we have the lead, I feel like the game is over. If we're tied, I feel like they're going to hold us there until we score a run.

"All three of them have been dynamite all year long. And for a team to have three knockout relievers like we've got, it's pretty special."

* The Orioles' Single-A Frederick Keys team has made a friendly wager on the outcome of the ALCS with a Carolina League rival. The wager is with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, a Royals affiliate.

Whichever team loses will have to give up 200 tickets to a 2015 game. Half of those tickets will be distributed to the other clubs' fan base for a game at the park of the losing side. The other 100 tickets will be donated to charity for a game at the loser's ballpark.

If the Orioles lose, the Keys will give 100 tickets to the Frederick Rescue Mission for a Blue Rocks-Keys game at Harry Grove Stadium. If the Royals lose, Wilmington will give 100 tickets to Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County for a game at Frawley Stadium.

* The last time Kansas City trailed at the end of an inning this postseason was after the eighth frame of the wild card game at home against Oakland, when the A's held a 7-6 advantage. Since K.C. rallied to tie the game in the ninth and ultimately win it in the 12th, the Royals have not trailed for 45 consecutive innings.

Final take: Whether they win or lose tonight, the Orioles will go into Game 4 trailing in this series. To me, that means Buck Showalter should start Tillman in Game 4, which he now can do on regular rest after Monday's rainout.

I don't care that Tillman gave up five runs in Game 1. He is the best starter the Orioles have and he should pitch that game.

Tillman was solid in his playoff start against Detroit and he went 8-4 with an ERA of 2.38 in his last 21 starts of the regular season. And when he last pitched in Kansas City? He threw a five-hit shutout on May 16.

Miguel Gonzalez pitched very well this season, especially at the end of the year. Maybe he goes in Game 5, but being down heading into Game 4 to me means Tillman should get that start.