Edinson Volquez, both 'superb' and 'sexy,' throttles Blue Jays in ALCS Game 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The key to pitching, it’s often said, lies between the ears - make the right pitches, keep hitters off-balance and you can be successful.

For Edinson Volquez, the key to pitching can be found underneath the bill of his cap.

That’s where the Kansas City Royals right-hander writes notes to himself every time he pitches to keep him focused on what he needs to do.

First-pitch strike.

Stay aggressive.

Three pitches or less.

And if he ever needs some encouragement, it’s right there in front of him.

“Sometimes I get back to the dugout, see it and keep it in mind,” Volquez said after leading the Kansas City Royals to a 5-0 victory Friday night in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

In perhaps the biggest start of his career, Volquez held the Toronto Blue Jays’ No. 1-ranked offense scoreless for six innings, then turned the game over to K.C.’s vaunted bullpen to complete the shutout.

“Eddie was superb today,” said Royals manager Ned Yost. “Had everything going on, had his great fastball, locating well, really good curveball, really nice changeups, on the attack from the first inning on.”

Volquez even turned things up a notch when he needed to, hitting 97 mph with his fastball – after averaging 93.7 during the regular season.

“He was pumped up. The ball was moving a lot. I was surprised,” said Blue Jays outfielder Ben Revere. “It’s all about the playoffs. You’re going to get the best with these pitchers.”

After all the pregame discussion about the Royals pitching inside to counteract the power-hitting lineup, Volquez and catcher Salvador Perez altered their game plan.

“He told me, ‘How do you feel pitching down and away?’” Volquez recalled. “And I said, ‘I feel sexy tonight.’”

Although it wasn’t written on his cap, pitching sexy worked to perfection.

“He used both sides of the plate,” Perez said. “When he can throw his fastball like that, he’s pretty good. He can throw away, he can throw in. The changeup was pretty good today.”

Staked to a 3-0 lead, Volquez only ran into trouble once – in the sixth – when he walked the first two batters and found himself facing the heart of the Blue Jays' order.

Then, it was time to adapt again.

“Salvy’s idea,” Volquez told reporters in the Royals clubhouse. “We threw a lot of fastballs the first couple innings and (he said) now we’re going to change because they’re going to sit on the fastball.”

Volquez struck out Edwin Encarnacion for the first out on a sinker that caught the outside corner. He retired Chris Colabello on a line drive to left. That brought up Troy Tulowitzki.

With the sold-out crowd of 39,753 chanting “Ed-die, Ed-die,” Volquez fired a 3-2 fastball 95 mph over the outside corner for a called third strike to retire the side.

“He was obviously real good. I think his velocity was a little higher than it normally is,” Tulowitzki said. “He was hitting his spots.”

None of his 111 pitches on the night was located any better.

“I don’t see very often Tulowitzki taking a fastball over there with a 3-2 count, especially with two runners on,” Volquez said. “I was like ooooh. Must be looking for my changeup.”

It’s almost as unexpected as a pitcher who two seasons ago had an ERA over 6.00 and was released by the San Diego Padres coming back to start and dominate in Game 1 of the ALCS. In the process, Volquez earned his first win in four career postseason starts. (Counting his outing vs. Houston in the Division Series, he was 0-3 with an 8.76 ERA.)

Combined with Johnny Cueto’s masterful performance in Game 5 of the ALDS, Royals pitchers have now thrown a franchise-record 16 consecutive scoreless innings in the postseason.

And they have their two best starters – Yordano Ventura and Cueto – ready on full rest for Game 2 Saturday afternoon at home and Game 3 Sunday night in Toronto.

GALLERY: Blue Jays, Royals battle in ALCS