Royals headed to second straight World Series

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) scores a run past Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (right) in the 8th inning in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas (8) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the 7th inning in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista hits a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the 8th inning in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Wade Davis throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the 8th inning in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Wade Davis (17) and catcher Salvador Perez (left) celebrate after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals grounds crew members pull the tarp onto the field for a rain delay in the 8th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Wade Davis (17) celebrates with catcher Salvador Perez (13) after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer hits a RBI single against the Toronto Blue Jays in the 8th inning in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) scores a run past Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (right) in the 8th inning in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pinch runner Dalton Pompey (left) reacts after stealing second base ahead of the tag by Kansas City Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar (2) in the 9th inning in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 23, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals players celebrate on the field after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in game six of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

KANSAS CITY – Kansas City used some daring base-running to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 in Game Six of the American League Championship Series on Friday as the Royals advanced to the World Series for a second consecutive year.

Lorenzo Cain scored from first on a single down the right field line by Eric Hosmer with no one out in the bottom of the eighth to snap a 3-3 tie and set up a Fall Classic against the National League champion New York Mets.

The best-of-seven Major League Baseball championship will begin on Tuesday in Kansas City.

Cain’s mad dash around the Kauffman Stadium bases led him home as Toronto outfielder Jose Bautista pirouetted after reaching the ball and fired toward second to keep Hosmer at first base, not thinking Cain would try to score on the play.

Toronto threatened in the ninth with a similar aggressive approach on the basepaths as pinch-runner Dalton Pompey stole second and third with no one out and Kevin Pillar walked to put men on first and third.

However, closer Wade Davis struck out pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro and Ben Revere before getting Josh Donaldson to ground out to third to secure a 4-2 series triumph with a nail-biting victory that unleashed wild celebrations on the diamond.

Kansas City had led 3-1, aided by a controversial home run for Mike Moustakas in the second inning, going into the top of the eighth when Bautista belted a two-run blast off reliever Ryan Madson to tie the game.

Bautista also supplied the first run of the game for Toronto with a towering hit in the fourth inning to halve a then 2-0 Kansas City lead.

Rain forced a delay of some 40 minutes before the start of the bottom of the eighth and Cain’s dash to the plate for the winning margin.

Kansas City will be trying for their first World Series title in 30 years, while the Mets seek their first Fall Classic crown in 29 years after most recently losing to their cross-town rival Yankees in the so-called Subway Series of 2000. (Writing by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by John O’Brien)