The Kansas City speed connection of Lonnie Smith and Willie Wilson came alive Thursday night, leading the Royals to a 6-1 victory over St. Louis in Game 5 of the World Series and signaling that time had not yet run out for the American League champions.

The victory cut the Cardinals' advantage in the best-of-seven Series to three games-to-two heading back to Kansas City for Game 6 Saturday night.

The Royals will send lefthander Charlie Leibrandt, the hard-luck loser of Game 2, against Cardinals right-hander Danny Cox, who won Game 2 with the aid of four ninthinning runs.

With Danny Jackson pitching in and out of trouble despite allowing only five hits and striking out five, the number one and two hitters for the Royals suddenly sparked a dormant Kansas City offense. Smith had two hits and scored a pair of runs, and Wilson had two hits, including a triple, and a pair of RBI.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, seemed more like the team showing pressure. Slick-fielding shortstop Ozzie Smith made an error that led to a run, and fan favorite Tito Landrum had a rough day. Landrum let runners move up to second and third on a flyout in the first, leading to one run; misplaying a fly ball into a double, leading to the game-winning run in the second; and letting another ball go over his head in the ninth for an RBI double.