Kayfus flips script with go-ahead HR in 8th: 'Best feeling I've ever had'

CLEVELAND -- C.J. Kayfus took a half-dozen steps out of the left-handed batter’s box, watching as the fly ball he connected with carried out to deep right-center field. Halfway to first base, he dropped his bat and entered a trot.

If anyone doubted where the fly ball was headed, Kayfus was not among them.

“As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone,” Kayfus said. “If it didn't go, that was all I had.”

Kayfus’ go-ahead two-run homer off John Schreiber in the eighth inning sent the Guardians to a 3-2 series-clinching win over the Royals on Thursday at Progressive Field.

Kayfus’ blast traveled a Statcast-projected 425 feet. It was the type of moment every ballplayer dreams about as a kid, and the rookie delivered.

“There is no feeling in the world like that one,” Kayfus said. “That was truly probably the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life right there.”

This week’s four-game series between the Guardians and Royals carried crucial implications for two squads that are neck and neck in the American League Wild Card race. And for much of the series finale, it looked like it was going to end in a wash with a series split.

Instead, with Cleveland’s late comeback, the Guardians (75-71) have now won four of their past five series by going 11-6 against the Rays, Mariners, Red Sox and Royals. They are 3 1/2 games behind Seattle (79-68) for the final Wild Card spot.

Cleveland also trails the Rangers (77-70), winners of four straight, by 1 1/2 games.

Kayfus made his MLB debut on Aug. 2 after the Guardians selected him from Triple-A Columbus. The 23-year-old recorded a hit in five of his first eight games, but he has also faced the natural learning curve that every young player encounters after getting to the Majors.

Kayfus went 0-for-21 in his final seven games of August. He entered Thursday 5-for-18 in September, which amounted to a .278/.333/.500 slash line over seven games.

“I think it's mainly just being OK with the adversity,” Kayfus said. “You're going to go through it, and I've been going through it. My teammates and coaches have been here for me every single day, so they've definitely made it a lot easier.”

The Guardians were held to one run on three hits and one walk through seven innings, following an impressive effort by Royals starter Stephen Kolek. Given where Cleveland is in the postseason picture, its margin for error is thin. A series split, at this stage in the year, would not be good enough.

When Kayfus’ blast soared over the wall, the Guardians’ dugout erupted. José Ramírez shot up the steps onto the field and pumped his right fist and right leg in the air. Steven Kwan shuffled from the on-deck circle to behind home plate and pumped both arms skyward.

Kayfus, the even-keeled rookie, cracked a smile as he rounded third base.

“You could just feel the tension that we were feeling the whole game in the dugout just erase,” manager Stephen Vogt said.

The Guardians know where they are at. They have 16 games remaining in the regular season, and their postseason odds stood at 7.5 percent at the time of Thursday's win, according to FanGraphs.

One win or one loss can sway the odds dramatically, but they know they have to keep a steady composure and take things one day at a time.

“It's really hard, but you have to do it,” Vogt said pregame Thursday. “You have to continue to be the same every day. There's no quitting, so you show up every day expecting to win, and some hurt more than others. But you know you have a game tonight, and our goal is to win.”

The Guardians’ season has been a roller coaster. They went on a 10-game losing streak from June 26-July 6, then went 23-9 over their next 32 games (July 7-Aug. 14). They followed that by going 1-9 from Aug. 15-25, and they are 11-5 since.

The Guardians continue to push and refuse to give in. Vogt was asked whether a night like Thursday was a microcosm of the season.

“I feel like every day is a microcosm of our season. It's back and forth. You never know what you're going to get,” Vogt said. “And I think that's what makes this group beautiful. We don't quit.”