KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The worst thing the Los Angeles Angels could do in the American League Division Series was hit the ball to the outfield. The likes of Lorenzo Cain, Nori Aoki, Jarrod Dyson and Alex Gordon had that part of the field covered too well for the Kansas City Royals. Going there would only going to break the Angels' hearts.
In the deciding Game 3 of the series Sunday night, Cain made back-to-back diving catches in center field in the fifth inning to help remove any doubt that the Royals were on the way to advancing to the next round of the Major League Baseball playoffs. The Royals beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 to sweep their first playoff series in 29 years.*The Royals travel to Baltimore to start the AL Championship Series on Friday.
Angels slugger Mike Trout, who has stolen a run or two, killed some rallies and broken plenty of hearts already by making plays in the outfield, said Cain's effort altered the course of Game 3.
“We had our chances, and Cain made two unbelievable catches,” Trout said. “That could’ve changed the game. A lot.”
Cain also made a pair of great catches in Game 1, but was overshadowed by two remarkable ones by Aoki.
"That's fine," Cain said. "If we're all out there making plays, and as long as the ball's getting caught, it doesn't matter."
He's not lying. But Game 3 was Cain's showcase.
"Awwww, Lo Cain. Playmaker!" Dyson said.
Down five runs in the fifth, the Angels put their first two runners aboard against James Shields for slugger Albert Pujols, who had homered an inning earlier. This time, Pujols hit a bloop to left-center that Cain appeared to get a great jump on. It still looked like it might drop, but Cain kept charging and closed fast, diving glove-first and just getting leather under the ball at the last moment.
Watching from the bench, Trout said he thought the ball would drop "for sure."
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Two pitches later, Howie Kendrick hit a sinking liner to right center, and Cain made a feet-first slide — having some room and time to spare this time — for another great catch.
"That never happens," Cain said. "Back-to-back plays like that, that's never happened before. To make a sliding catch and a diving catch, I mean, that's never happened. I was so happy I made those plays."
Cain reacted with screams and fist pumps of happiness, and Kauffman Stadium loved every moment of it.
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"The first one was definitely harder," Cain said. "I knocked the wind out of myself, for one. The knee slide is always easier for me. I enjoy both, because they save runs."
Angels manager Mike Scioscia's opinion was like that of Trout: Cain's plays changed the game:
"I think it's a whole new ballgame," Scioscia said. "I think it is. It sounds like a broken record from the two games we played out in Southern California and the game here. You're probably looking at a one? or two?run game if both those hits drop in, but they didn't. That's part of their team is their range in the outfield, and it showed up in this series for sure."
Pujols could tell it wasn't meant to be:
"I hit a line drive and Lorenzo came and made a great diving catch," Pujols said. "And after that we hit a bullet and he made another diving catch. It's things like that — never the momentum went our way. They deserve it. They played better."
Shields might have been Cain's biggest cheerleader, too, tipping his cap after Cain did his work in the outfield:
"I tipped my cap to him after the inning was over just strictly because I'm a fan," Shields said. "I'm a fan of watching that. It's pretty special."
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James Shields’ reaction says it all. http://t.co/YGIVhioCLG #ThatOutfieldDefense pic.twitter.com/kiWtTdzQkl
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2014
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And Cain was rocking:

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"It's just all adrenalin, all emotion," Cain said. "I'm going to get excited when I make plays like that. I know that I'm out there making plays and saving runs for this team. It's always a great feeling.

"Making plays out there breaks their heart."
Cain has been making catches like those — and other important ones that weren't as spectacular — all season:
Lorenzo Cain with 2 nifty catches in 5th inning. He ranked 5th in MLB with 24 Defensive Runs Saved in 2014
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 6, 2014
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"He don't lie, he don't lie, he don't lie ... LoCain" — Eric Clapton, after watching the Royals, probably
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David Brown is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter!
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