Wading into danger, Davis holds firm for KC

OAKLAND -- The two things you rarely see from Royals reliever Wade Davis are runs allowed or emotion.

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In Saturday's 3-2 win over the A's, Davis tap-danced his way out of allowing runs, but he did allow some emotion to seep through.

Davis worked his way out of a two-on, no-out situation with his team clinging to a one-run lead in the eighth inning. Actually, it was more perilous than that -- Davis went 3-0 on the third hitter and the A's had visions of bases loaded and none out.

But Davis got a strikeout and later a double play and wiggled out of the inning.

After the double play, the normally reserved and stoic Davis pumped his fist and shouted.

"Sometimes you get a little lucky and it excites you," Davis said, smiling. "Getting men on first and second and getting [Stephen] Vogt and [Ben] Zobrist [out], some of the toughest outs in baseball, that was kind of something."

Manager Ned Yost agreed.

"We were all pumping our fists at that time," Yost said. "It's a big series for both teams. These games are fun."

Davis, who has given up just one run in 32 innings this year, fell behind Vogt 3-0, mainly because he lost his release point.

"Just driving too much with my body," Davis said.

After a visit to the mound by pitching coach Dave Eiland, Davis tried to focus on keeping his body in sync with his arm. Suddenly, 3-1 became 3-2 and then strike three on Vogt on a terrific cutter on the outside corner.

"Sure was nice to get an out there," Davis said.

Up came Davis' old teammate at Tampa Bay, Zobrist.

"Probably his [biggest] weakness is a changeup, and I really don't have one," Davis said.

But Davis got Zobrist to offer on a cutter, and Zobrist chopped one back to Davis and that started a 1-6-3 double play.

"That's his mental toughness," Yost said.