TORONTO
In Luke Hochevar’s mind, the situation called for precision. He could not give in to the dangerous heart of the Blue Jays’ offense. He could not afford to pick at the strike zone. One mistake could let Toronto back into the game. The most tense moments in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series were coming up next.
There were the moments Hochevar missed last season, the opportunities that never came, like this one in the Royals’ 14-2 victory at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday. Last October, as the Royals made the playoffs and advanced to the World Series for the first time in 29 years, Hochevar could not pitch.