ANAHEIM, Calif. Gussie Busch Jersey . - Eric Hosmer got his souvenir home run ball back while he stood on the field for a postgame interview, Angel Stadiums silence broken only by a small band of blue-clad fans chanting Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!Hosmer savored the moment, realizing that almost nobody expected the unassuming Kansas City Royals to be collecting keepsakes and plotting playoff sweeps a few days ago.But with three extra-inning wins in four remarkable days, the long-downtrodden Royals have climbed from the depths of a 29-year playoff absence to the brink of the AL Championship Series.Hosmer hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning, and Kansas City took a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series with a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.Its a huge sigh of relief, and its a big swing for the guys, Hosmer said.Alex Gordon had an early run-scoring single and Salvador Perez added an RBI infield single in the 11th for the Royals, who became the first team in major league history to win three straight extra-inning playoff games. In its first post-season appearance since 1985, Kansas City is on a playoff roll a€” and the majors best regular-season team has not been able to stop it.Thats what the cool part of this has been a€” everyone has had their time, said Hosmer, who had three hits and scored two runs. Theyve had their moment when theyve made a big play or stepped up and did something big. A lot of the times, it was with our back against the wall. Most of the time it was with our season on the line.Game 3 in the best-of-five series is Sunday in Kansas City, where Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson faces James Shields.After two wins in the majors toughest ballpark for visitors, the Royals have the once-mighty Angels on the edge of elimination, largely thanks to a pitching staff that has limited baseballs highest-scoring offence to just three runs in 22 innings.The Royals finished last in the majors with only 95 regular-season homers, but theyve won back-to-back playoff games on 11th-inning shots over the right-field wall at the Big A.After 10 innings of intense baseball dominated by pitching and defence, Lorenzo Cain beat out a one-out infield single off losing pitcher Kevin Jepsen. Hosmer smacked a no-doubt homer to right field, setting off a celebration for several dozen blue-clad Royals fans in a sea of red at the Big A.Albert Pujols had a tying RBI single in the sixth for the Angels, but theyve been mostly helpless against the Royals. Los Angeles, which led the big leagues with 98 wins, has just 10 hits in the series a€” none by Mike Trout or Josh Hamilton.Only eight teams in major league history have rallied to win a playoff series after losing the first two games.There are some guys that right now arent attacking the ball where they can for various reasons. There is not one cure-all thats going to get everybody swinging the bat, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. We havent done a lot of the things weve done during the season, and we put a lot of pressure on our pitching staff.Trout got a chance to help in the 11th after second baseman Omar Infante made a throwing error on Kole Calhouns two-out grounder. But the AL MVP favourite struck out against Greg Holland, finishing his second straight 0-for-4 night in his first playoff series.Going back to the regular season, the Angels have lost five straight games for the first time all season.This series is not over, said Pujols, who is 1 for 8. Obviously, you dont want to go down 0-2 and go to the other place, but anything can happen. Hopefully our bats get going. ... We just need to catch some breaks. If we do, well be fine.The Royals are the first team to play in three consecutive extra-inning playoff games since the 1980 NLCS between Houston and Philadelphia, which had four straight. They followed up their 12-inning wild-card victory over Oakland with a series-opening win on Mike Moustakas 11th-inning homer, and Hosmer kept it going.Brandon Finnegan pitched a hitless 10th for the Royals, and the 2014 first-round draft pick earned the win. Holland worked the 11th for his second save of the series.Along with more lights-out pitching, strong defence again was a huge factor for the Royals.After C.J. Crons leadoff double against Wade Davis in the eighth, Angels pinch-runner Collin Cowgill decided to test the arm of centre fielder Jarrod Dyson, who had just entered the game. Dyson threw out Cowgill at third after catching Chris Iannettas fly to left-centre.Thats huge. That changes momentum. That changes everything in a game right there, Hosmer said. Thats a big-time play.Two innings later, shortstop Alcides Escobar turned a tough double play after stretching high to glove an off-target throw.In a matchup of impressive rookie starters, Yordano Ventura pitched seven innings of five-hit ball for the Royals, and Matt Shoemaker threw six innings of five-hit ball for Los Angeles.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: RHP Kelvin Herrera has a flexor strain in his right forearm after throwing just five pitches in Game 1. The reliever will be re-evaluated when the teams get to Kansas City.Angels: Hamilton went 0 for 4 with a double-play grounder to end the 10th, dropping to 0 for 9 in his first playoff series with Los Angeles. The slugger played just once in the final 22 games of the regular season due to upper-body injuries.UP NEXTShields started the Royals wild-card playoff win Tuesday, so hell be on normal rest. Los Angeles is hoping for solid work from the up-and-down Wilson. Cardinals Jerseys 2019 . TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie tweeted Monday morning that Callahan - who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, is now open to a six-year contract at less than $7 million per season. Jose Martinez Cardinals Jersey .C. -- Tony Stewart will not race Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, the third Sprint Cup race hes skipped since his car struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/114t-ted-simmons-jersey-cardinals.html . -- The Chicago Bears have agreed to terms with safety Brock Vereen and QB David Fales on four-year contracts.VANCOUVER - For one game at least, Zack Kassian lived up to his billing as a power forward who can produce points. Kassian recorded four assists to earn the first four-point night of his star-crossed NHL career Sunday night as the Vancouver Canucks rallied to beat his former team, the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. "It was one of those games (where) it seemed the puck followed me," said Kassian. "Its nice personally, but its even better we keep this streak going." The Canucks (33-30-10) have now posted two consecutive wins for the first time since mid-January. Vancouver pulled within three points of eighth-place Phoenix, and one point of ninth-place Dallas in the race for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Sabres (20-43-8), last in the NHL by a wide margin, suffered their eighth loss in the past 10 games as they squandered an early 2-0 lead. Brad Richardson, Shawn Matthias, Yannick Weber and David Booth, with his first goal in 33 games, scored for the Canucks, who have won five of their last eight contests. The Sabres went ahead 2-0 only 3:29 into the game, but the score was tied 2-2 after the first period and the Canucks led 3-2 following the second. "In this league you cant play good sometimes," said Sabres coach Ted Nolan. "Youve got to play good all the time. Thats a lesson to learn and something we have to do to move forward." Tyler Ennis and Jamie McBain provided the offence for Buffalo. Kassian has often faced criticism since he was traded to Vancouver from the Sabres at the NHL trade deadline in February 2012 in the four-player deal that saw former Canuck fan favourite Cody Hodgson head to Buffalo. Kassian, Buffalos top 2009 draft pick (13th overall) excelled offensively two days after saying he is playing primarily a checking role now while Hodgson is primarily an offensive player. Hodgson, Vancouvers first choice (10th overall) in 2008, went without a point while the Sabres were badly outplayed for most of the game. "Im excited for every game, but obviously you want to play hard against your old team," said Kassian. "You definitely want to get the win, but its nice when you play well individually and as a line." Matthias, who was acquired in the Roberto Luongo trade from Florida, also had two assists while Richardson had one helper. The Canucks had not posted two straight wins since beating the Calgary Flames on Jan. 18, when coach John Tortorella drew a suspension for charging their dressing room between the first and second periods, and Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 21. Vancouver goaltender Eddie Lack overcame a slow start to earn the win. After allowing goals on Buffalos first and third shots of the game, Lack was sharp and finished with 16 saves. "The team did a great job bouncing back," said Lack. "I felt like I wasnt really tracking the puck well the first half of the game but then I just kind of settled down and felt better after that." Vancouvers quick rally from its early deficit spoiled a strong effort from rookie Buffalo goaltender Nathan Lieuwen, a 22-year-old Abbotsford, B. John Gant Jersey. C., native who made just his second NHL career start and third appearance after being promoted from Rochester of the AHL on March 16. He recorded 32 saves as his club was outshot 36-18. "Thats frustrating and thats hockey," he said. "You get some good bounces and you do good things and you make mistakes, so Ill definitely learn from it." Weber scored the winning goal just 1:40 into the second period as he put a shot through Lieuwens legs to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead. Sabres defenceman Mike Weber was close to his Canuck namesake on the play, but Lieuwen said the puck went straight in. "I thought I had it and, obviously, there was a hole," said Lieuwen. "I dont know what to tell you. Thats obviously one that I feel I can obviously save. What a terrible night for that to go in." The goal sullied his "dream come true" of playing in Vancouver, where he has "tonnes of family." Ennis was also left frustrated as he watched the Sabres lead disintegrate after he had McBain had put them ahead. "We heard (Lack) has been shaky, so we wanted to get on him early, and we did," said Ennis. Kassian was not around for the final horn because he took a puck between the eyes, for the second time on the night, with 1:32 left in the game. He needed "about 10 stitches" to repair a cut. "So my face isnt getting any prettier, thats for sure," he said. Notes: Vancouver lost Henrik Sedin to an apparent knee injury late in the second period as he collided with a fallen Buffalo player behind the Sabres net. "I went to hit a guy and he came back off the boards and he fell on top of me, so well see how it is (Monday)," said Sedin. The mishap occurred after the Canucks and NHL honoured the Canucks captain for his 1,000th NHL game, played March 12 in Winnipeg. NHL senior vice-president of hockey operations Jim Gregory represented the league. ... Vancouver forwards Ryan Kesler and Daniel Sedin returned after suffering injuries earlier this month, but Alex Burrows missed the game with a hand injury suffered Thursday against Nashville. ... Hodgson played his 200th NHL regular-season game. … Lack made his 35th start of the season. At the outset of the season, Tortorella indicated he would get 15-20 starts. … Buffalo defenceman Alexander Sulzer, who was acquired with Hodgson from the Canucks, missed his fifth consecutive game with an upper-body injury. … Sabres starting goaltender Michal Neuvirth, acquired from Washington at the trade deadline, also missed his fourth consecutive contest, with a lower-body ailment. … Neuvirth and Matt Hackett, who dressed as Buffalos backup, were traded for each other in the 2007-08 OHL season. Neuvirth went to Windsor from Plymouth while Hackett went the other way. ' ' '