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Korean Karma: Royals pull out miraculous win to reach ALDS

September 30, 2014
Kansas City Royals' Eric Hosmer celebrates after scoring on a single by Christian Colon during the 12th inning of the AL wild-card playoff baseball game against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals’ Eric Hosmer celebrates after scoring on a single by Christian Colon during the 12th inning of the AL wild-card playoff baseball game against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Longtime Kansas City Royals fan Sung Woo Lee, from South Korea, celebrates with Royals mascot Sluggerrr after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Monday, Aug. 11, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Longtime Kansas City Royals fan Sung Woo Lee, from South Korea, celebrates with Royals mascot Sluggerrr after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Monday, Aug. 11, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

By Lee Kyutae

“The feel-good baseball story of the year” is not over yet. They rolled out the red carpet for the biggest Korean Kansas City Royals fan, Sung Woo Lee, earlier this year, and the team that made it to the playoffs for the first time in 29 years just pulled off one miraculous comeback win in extra innings to write another chapter.

“Korean Karma” was stronger than “Moneyball.”

In one of the most thrilling Major League playoff games in recent memory, the Royals dug out from 0-2, 3-7 and 7-8 holes to eliminate the Oakland A’s 9-8 Tuesday night in an AL wild-card game at home.

The A’s showed off their power (two home runs by Brandon Moss), while the Royals countered with their speed (six stolen bases).

The A’s appeared to have the game in control, running off to a 7-3 lead by the sixth inning, but the Royals would not go away. They scored  three runs in the eighth, and Norichika Aoki’s sacrifice fly off Sean Doolittle in the ninth forced extra innings.

The Royals fell behind again in the top of the 12th inning, 8-7, but Eric Hosmer tripled to set up the game-tying run, and after two outs, the catcher Salvador Perez delivered the decisive final blow.

The Royals, appearing in its first playoff since 1985, moves on to play the Los Angeles Angels in the AL Division Series starting Thursday.