Australian pitcher Liam Hendriks has claimed a long-standing Major League Baseball playoffs record but it wasn't enough to help his Toronto Blue Jays level their series against Kansas City Royals.
Lining up for game four in the best-of-seven American League Championship, Hendriks did his best to steer his team to victory before the Royals ran away with a 14-2 victory to move ahead 3-1 in the series.
A relief pitcher from Perth, Hendriks came into the action in the second inning with two out and two on base after starting pitcher R.A Dickey gave up five runs.
Making his third playoff appearance, the 26-year-old made a crucial play before he even threw a pitch when he picked off Alcides Escobar at second base to end the inning.
Pitching against his former team, Hendriks finished with 13 outs from 12 batters faced, breaking the 85-year playoffs record for more-outs-than-batters-faced performances.
The record was previously held by Jim Lindsay, with eight outs from seven batters faced way back in 1930.
Hendriks ultimately had little to show for his efforts with manager John Gibbons replacing him in the seventh inning.
The relief combination of LaTroy Hawkins and Ryan Tepera then gave up a combined seven runs to gift Kansas City a 10-run lead over the next two innings.
The decision to pull Hendriks prompted a chorus of social media criticism with Hollywood actor and star of Arrow, Stephen Amell, tweeting: "Was John Gibbons fed up with Liam Hendriks pitching brilliantly?".
The Royals are now just one win from a second straight World Series, with the victor to face the National League champions - either the Chicago Cubs or New York Mets - in the World Series starting on October 27.
Hendriks is one of three Australians to play in MLB this year, along with fellow pitchers Peter Moylan and Grant Balfour.
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