Kansas City Royals pitcher Edwin Volquez was the starting pitcher in the first game the Kansas City Royals, delivering six innings in the game the Royals won 5-4 over the New York Mets in 14 innings on the day his father died.
On Tuesday, 28 October the team released the news that Volquez’s father had passed away, disclosed to the manager moments before Volquez was scheduled to pitch that night.
According to the Royal’s MLB website: “Volquez’s father, Daniel, passed away in the Dominican Republic at the age of 63 from complications of a heart condition, moments before his son would take the mound for Game 1 of the World Series. Volquez’s wife called general manager Dayton Moore with the news, as well as explicit instructions not to reveal the information until after her husband was finished. So Volquez gutted through six innings of three-run ball, received the news, then went home. In his wake, the Royals prevailed, and afterward, their hearts went out for their endearing starting pitcher.”
But the local press says that Volquez knew about his father’s death prior to the game. At the start of the game, he received a standing ovation.
Volquez is one of four Dominicans on the Kansas City Royals pitching staff. Next in the pitching line up are Cueto (Wednesday, 28 October 2015, 8pm from Kauffman Stadium) and Yordano Ventura. If they all play as scheduled, the Royals will become not only the first team in history to use three starting pitchers born in the Dominican in a World Series but also the first team to use a World Series starting trio born outside the United States.
http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/155715406/edinson-volquez-father-dies-before-ws-game-1
http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article/155669686
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article41654622.html