Royals 2, Orioles 1: Jason Vargas struck out six in 5 1/3 innings and the bullpen took care of the rest as Kansas City completed a four-game sweep of visiting Baltimore in the American League Championship Series to clinch its first trip to the World Series since 1985.

Alcides Escobar had two hits and scored while Eric Hosmer’s grounder in the first provided the runs for the Royals, who became the first team in major-league history to begin a postseason with eight straight victories. Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis combined to allow two hits over 2 2/3 innings before Greg Holland worked the ninth for his fourth save of the ALCS.

Vargas (1-0) allowed a run on two hits and three walks while Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez (0-1) was hurt by an unearned run and ended up charged with two on four hits in 5 2/3 frames. Ryan Flaherty homered for Baltimore, which was bidding for its first World Series appearance since 1983.

Kansas City did not get the ball out of the infield in pushing two runs across in the first as Escobar led off with an infield single and Norichika Aoki was hit by a pitch. Lorenzo Cain bunted the runners up and Eric Hosmer grounded to first, where Steve Pearce fielded and fired a throw home that beat Escobar but got away as catcher Caleb Joseph tried to apply the tag, allowing both runners to score.

Flaherty wrapped a solo home run around the foul pole in right leading off the third but Baltimore failed to take advantage a leadoff walk in the fourth and stranded a pair in the sixth. Adam Jones worked a leadoff walk in the ninth but was erased on a fielder’s choice before Holland struck out Delmon Young and got J.J. Hardy to ground to third.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Kansas City's winning streak snapped a tie with the 2007 Colorado Rockies and 1976 Cincinnati Reds. … Royals LF Alex Gordon made a series of great plays, including tracking down a line drive on the warning track leading off the fifth before crashing into the fence while hanging onto the ball. … Pearce went 0-for-4 and finished the series 1-for-17.