OAKLAND -- One of the trademarks of the Royals' run to the World Series title in 2015 was the team's success at the plate with two outs, and manager Ned Yost's squad is up to its old tricks again. Not that anyone in Kansas City's clubhouse is surprised.
On Thursday the Royals collected six consecutive two-out hits off Doug Fister during a five-run sixth inning. After Friday's 4-2 win over the A's, the Royals are batting .274 in two-out situations -- second in the American League and eighth overall.
Lorenzo Cain certainly isn't surprised.
"Most people probably give up in situations like that, go and get the third out, but we as a team, we try to take advantage of every opportunity, especially with two outs," Cain said. "We find a way to put the ball in play, get on base … and once somebody gets on it kind of trickles down. We've shown that and proved that over the years. I can't explain, but it's definitely something we thrive on."
Cain helped ignite Thursday's rally against Houston with a sinking line drive that moved Paulo Orlando to third. Eric Hosmer, Kendrys Morales and Alex Gordon followed with three consecutive doubles before Salvador Perez ended the outburst with an RBI single.
For a team that led the Majors while hitting .277 in two-out situations in 2015, keeping that momentum going again has been a key to the Royals' early-season success.
"It's nothing you work on," Yost said. "Our guys are relaxed in pressure situations or with their backs against the wall, like a two-out situation. They don't elevate the importance of the at-bat in their mind, which makes every at-bat the same, which is important. They just do a good job at it. We did a bunch last year and doing it again this year."