San Francisco Giants 2-7 Kansas City Royals: 2014 World Series - as it happened!

Giants 2-7 Royals, top 9th

Crawford, a broken bat base hit to right field keeps me from post-game chocolate pudding for just a little bit longer...

Here’s Gregor Blanco looking for that five-run homer.

Giants 2-7 Royals, top 9th

Here’s pinch-hitter Andrew Susac facing Royals closer Greg Holland, pitching in a non-save situation.

He starts off by striking out the backup catcher. Then he wastes Ishikawa.

The Giants are down to their final out...

Giants 2-7 Royals, bottom 8th

One pitch by Casilla and Perez is gone. Inning over - we head to the ninth!

Giants 2-7 Royals, bottom 8th

Lincecum is back out for more, facing Josh Willingham who is pinch-hitting for Gore.

He strikes him out with a 90 MPH fastball and that’s his second strikeout.

Now Gordon pops out in the infield - Sandoval makes the catch for the second out.

Here’s Perez, who is still fresh off his mini-skirmish with Strickland.

It’s 2-2 when play stops because Lincecum is tended to by the trainers - he’s leaving after suffering some sort of injury, possibly to do with the way he landed on the mound.

Sergio Casilla is heading in to get some work with the off-day coming up tomorrow.

Hating on Joe West!!!!

Giants 2-7 Royals, top 8th

Belt lines a grounder but Hosmer moves to his right, gets low, makes the grab, tosses to Davis and that’s all for the Giants in the seventh.

Giants 2-7 Royals, top 8th

Wade Davis is on in relief of Herrera, facing Sandoval. Panda checks his swing on a ball in the dirt and third base umpire
Hunter Wendelstedt calls strike three.

Is he in the Hunters Club?

Pence is up, as intense and bug-eyed as ever. He strikes out, the kind where you have to run to first. Of course, he’s trying really really hard.

Two down, and Davis looks good...

Can’t I just root for his wife?

Maybe they can dig up 2013 Shelby Miller.

Giants 2-7 Royals, bottom 7th

So as advertised, here is Lincecum to mop up that giant mess, and he’s got three quick outs.

Dyson, Cain and Hosmer go in order...very nice from Linceum after the long layoff. Now Bochy knows he can use him later, quite a nice alternative to Strickland, but then again, so am I.

Jake Peavy

A bit of housecleaning here - the line I forgot to post...

5IP 6H 4R 4ER 2BB 1SO 0HR

Peavy was better than this line tells you, but that’s baseball...

Sad for who? I’ll take five minutes of that career...

Giants 2-7 Royals, top 7th

Posey grounds out to second and Herrera is out of the jam. That was a pretty darn risky move by Yost to keep his man in there after the walks, but he gets away with it. A big out...

Giants 2-7 Royals, top 7th

Panik is up in the count 2-0 before Herrera throws a strike.

Then Panik hits a blooper to center but it hangs up there and Dyson turns on the jets to get in position to make the catch. That’s a big second out.

Two on, two out and here is Posey in an huge spot.

Giants 2-7 Royals, top 7th

Now Herrera loses Blanco and here comes Dave Eiland, the Royals pitching coach to talk to his man after he issues back-to-back walks.

Really he should be putting in Brandon Finnegan or anyone really...except Hunter Strickland.

Wade Davis is up in the pen...

Yeah, and then some. Any professional lip readers out there?

Giants 2-7 Royals, top 7th

Herrera is back out despite a long layoff in-between innings. He is rustoleum, striking out Ishikawa to start off. Now it’s Crawford at the plate, who picks up a walk.

So now one on and one out and the top of the lineup coming at KC - here’s Blanco.

No wonder they made a whole TV series out of 24 hours....

Giants 2-7 Royals, bottom 6th

Jeremy Affeldt is in and being hit. Mike Moustakas greets him rudely - a knock to center.

But then Escobar hits into a 6-4-3 double play, and this five run frame is finally history - The K-crowd leap to their feet to applaud the home team, and that’s because they’ve just watched the inning that saved their World Series.

I’ve seen those pics...you don’t want to know.

He did make tracks, no doubt about it. FOX TV says he was running 20.1 MPH, which is faster than most cyclists...by a good margin.

Giants 2-3 Royals, bottom 6th

Gordon pops to left - that won’t advance the runner.

Now Bochy is out to get Lopez, and that means righty Hunter Strickland is heading in to face righty Salvador Perez with one down. Cue the organ...

A lot on the line, can’t mess around.

Yordano Ventura

He wasn’t dominant, he wasn’t awful - he was competitive, and kept his team in the ballgame, and if you’re a Royals fan you’ll take it.

5.1IP 8H 2R 2ER 0BB 2SO 1HR

He gets away with the eight walks because he didn’t walk anybody...that’s a bit like dancing through the raindrops.

Giants 2-2 Royals, bottom 6th

Peavy is behind 3-0 - “Let’s go Royals!” can be heard, again and again.

A strike makes it 3-1. And another! Peavy works his way back and the count is full.

Posey comes out for a chat...a rather long one.

Now, here’s the pit.....no he throws over to check on Cain at first.

The delivery - it’s in the dirt for ball four and now it’s two on and nobody out. Here comes Giants skipper Bruce Bochy to get his man and Peavey is done.

Giants 2-2 Royals, bottom 6th

Cain, a bloop single to lead off the inning. Will he run?

Double barreled action in the Giants pen...

Eric Hosmer is up...

Giants 2-2 Royals, top 6th

Morse hits a hard ball to short that backs up Escobar...but he has it, and tosses to second for the force out that ends the inning, and that was another enormous gut check for KC right there.

Giants 2-2 Royals, top 6th

Belt flies to the left field corner and Gordon, who hasn’t had much work tonight, makes the catch.

Now it’s up to Morse - will we see some of those teeth?

Giants 2-2 Royals, top 6th

Herrera, right handed pitcher, Belt, left handed batter. Herrera hits 101 on the gun in his first pitch, and that is not a misprint!

Remember when hitting 100 was not something you saw all the time? No wonder no one can score anymore.

But I digress...Belt in the hole 0-2 in a big at-bat here...

Giants 2-2 Royals, top 6th

So after Hunter Pence reaches on an infield hit, there’s runners on first and second base with one out and Brandon Belt coming to the plate to face Herrera, one of the famed big three in the Royals vaunted bullpen.

And speaking of Yost, here he comes to get Ventura, who leaves to a standing ovation after 5 1/3 innings. Kelvin Herrera makes his way in, a bit early.

Giants 2-2 Royals, top 6th

Changes...Aoki is out, Dyson is in and playing center field while Cain moves to right. Dyson is tested right away, a knock to center field - he slides but can’t make the catch on what is a dying quail. He does make the stop though - important.

When the dust clears it’s a leadoff single for Posey and Pablo Sandoval is at the plate.

Ventura bites a little bullet - he gets Panda on a broken bat fly ball to right field for the first out.

Here’s Pence....swallow hard Royals fans.

He was shaky for a while there, and that is a very good comparison to Bumgarner’s third inning last night.

Giants 2-2 Royals, bottom 5th

How about Jake Peavy! He gets Aoki to pop to Blanco in center and that’s another 1-2-3 for the vet!

Who will blink first?

Giants 2-2 Royals, bottom 5th

Moustakas lines one to Panik who is in shallow right field because the shift is on - still, it’s an easy throw and that’s one down.

Top o the lineup now - here’s Escobar.

Yes he did, and here’s another key inning coming up - Moustakas, Escobar and Aoki coming up for KC.

Giants 2-2 Royals, top 5th

Panik lines to center for the third out and Ventura is through five...an inning closer to getting to that KC bullpen, which is much much closer to the plan than last night.

Giants 2-2 Royals, top 5th

Travis Ishikawa leads off with a smash up the middle and the Giants have a runner on here in the fifth. Next is Crawford - he bounces to Infante at second - he throws to Escobar to get the lead runner for the first out.

Now here’s Blanco - he pops it up on the right side of the infield, back goes Infante who makes an over the shoulder catch! More good defense from Infante!

Two down now here’s Panik trying to keep the inning alive.

Giants 2-2 Royals, bottom 4th

That’s an easy inning for Peavy, who seems to have taught himself a lesson after screaming at himself earlier. Either that or someone gave him a little shot of something in the dugout. Gordon, Perez and Infante offer little resistance.

Giants 2-2 Royals, top 4th

Morse pops it to right and Aoki makes the play for the second out. But Aoki misses the cutoff man and Belt is off the bag, thinking about making a move to third. Ventura picks it up, and guns into to second base where Omar Infante applies the tag!

That’s a double play, and one of the oddest you will ever see!

Inning over!

FOX TV are talking about whether Cain should’ve made that catch on the Sandoval double - no way - only Willie Mays makes that catch.

Giants 1-2 Royals, top 4th

Pence can’t advance the runner, grounding out to short. So Panda is still at second, one out now, and here is Brandon Belt who is 0-1 tonight.

Giants 1-2 Royals, top 4th

Sandoval hits it hard to center - Cain goes back, and back, and now he looks lost - Cain is turned around and the ball is off his glove! Panda has himself a leadoff double and has now has been on base in 25 consecutive postseason games. Ridiculous.

Pence is next.

Giants 1-2 Royals, bottom 3rd

Lorenzo Cain slices one to right, Hunter Pence moves over a few steps and makes an easy catch for the first out.

Now it’s Hosmer, who worked a walk in his last at-bat. This time it’s a little roller to second that’s routine for Panik. He throws over to Belt at first and that’s two away.

Butler lifts it to center, and that’s a big inning for Peavy, whose pitches were moving well as the Royals go down 1-2-3 in the third.

Giants 1-2 Royals, top 3rd

Posey bounces over the middle and Infante glides over to grab it, making the throw in time to get Posey.

That was very very smooth play on a tough little bouncer that had eyes.

Inning over.

Giants 1-2 Royals, top 3rd

Ventura, settling in nicely, gets Crawford to bounce out to second to start off the third. Now Blanco is back - and he lines a pitch to Hosmer - he dives to his right and makes the grab while hitting the dirt - now it’s a footrace and Hosmer dives and tags the bag to get Blanco!

That’s two dives on one play and you don’t see that every day...

Two down for Panik, who lines a two-out base hit to right to quiet the crowd in KC, and that’s because Posey is heading to the plate.

Giants 1-2 Royals, bottom 2nd

Aoki lines to left and Ishikawa has it - inning over. Peavy is hanging on by a thread.

Giants 1-1 Royals, bottom 2nd

The Giants have the shift on but Moustakas pops out to Blanco in center for the second out. So now it’s up to Escobar to get him home...

Giants 1-1 Royals, bottom 2nd

Salvador Perez is second pitch swinging and a laces a liner right at Belt over at first. One down, here’s Infante.

Peavy throws a ball in the dirt and then screams at himself. If you think he’s angry about that, how about this - an Omar Infante double past Ishikawa in left field and the Royals are in business with Mike Moustakas heading to the plate.

Hunter Pence steals mail.

Giants 1-1 Royals, top 2nd

You have to love the way Ventura’s cap rests on his head, it’s a bit oversized and high - it’s a good look for him.

This is also good for him - Ventura destroys Belt - you could say that he watched the fastball go by for strike three but there’s no way he saw anything.

Two down. Michael Morse hits a ball hard on the dirt in front of home plate and that makes for a high hop that skips away from Escobar - it’s a base hit for the DH.

Then Ishikawa grounds to Escobar at short, he steps on second for the force out, inning over.

Giants 1-1 Royals, top 2nd

Ventura throws a 99MPH fastball high but nowhere near Pence - still, he’s mortified, and falls to his knee while losing his helmet trying to get out of the way.

Then he harmlessly pops up to right - that’s Ventura using his assets right there.

Belt is next with one out and no one on...

This is true - NL ERA 3.23, AL ERA 4.13 lifetime - so that’s a good call.

Yes!

Giants 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st

Hosmer walks on four pitches...and here comes everybody’s favorite beer league softball player - Billy Butler. He’s batting with runners on first and second, two down, and over 40,000 on their feet just dying for something to cheer about.

Giants 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st

Cain laces a rope to left - Ishikawa dives trying to make the stop and is backed up well by Blanco - he fires in to second base but Cain is SAFE! It’s a two out double that brings the crowd to its feet...

...but that would have scored a run right there had Escobar stayed at first. Bill James is laughing, somewhere, perhaps in Vermont.

Giants 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st

There goes Escobar - Posey makes the throw - it’s a one bouncer, Panik has it, makes the tag and he’s OUT!

Of course he’s out. The Card, I mean, Giants have no holes on this team right now.

Two down now, Cain still at the plate.

Giants 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st

Cain, a pop fly heading for foul territory - here comes Pence, he slides but can’t get there in time. Solid effort but Cain stays alive. He’s in the hole 0-2.

Peavy throws over to first and....nearly picks him off, Escobar just got back there. Now another throw over. Then Peavy comes way way inside on Cain...nice little battle here.

Giants 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st

Nori Aoki skies one to center - here comes Hunter Pence but Blanco waves him off in the outfield and makes the catch. One down for Lorenzo Cain who was quiet last night...

Giants 1-0 Royals, bottom 1st

Small ball is great and all but it does require actual baserunners - KC has one - Alcides Escobar hits a sharp grounder to short that Brandon Crawford can’t handle with the backhand stab. It’s a tough hop and they’ll call it a hit, which is the right call.

Now, let the track meet begin...

Resins man writes...

...they may as well have Robin Ventura on the mound.

Would he wrestle himself to the mound?

Can I get some of that?

Giants 1-0 Royals, top 1st

Ventura keeps Joe Panik in the park - he pops to right. Then Buster Posey strikes out before Pablo Sandoval hits a soft comebacker that Ventura flips to first to retire the side.

But there’s a little shock and awe early from the Giants who take an early lead thanks to a Blanco blast.

Well, in 444 plater appearances this season, he had five home runs. He did have a one against the Reds in the 2012 NLDS, so the answer is a resounding no.

Predictions

It’s up top the Royals to keep you up! I predicted Giants in six, and that means we need a KC victory tonight, so count on the kid to wheel and deal vs the Giants. 6-3 Royals win.

And here they are, your Kansas City Royals!

1. Alicdes Escobar, SS
2. Nori Aoki, RF
3. Lorenzo Cain, CF
4. Eric Hosmer, 1B
5. Billy Butler, DH
6. Alex Gordon, LF
7. Salvador Perez, C
8. Omar Infante, 2B
9. Mike Moustakas, 3B

No Panik from KC manager Ned Yost, the song remains the same - but will the Royals lineup sing?

San Francisco Giants

1. Gregor Blanco, CF
2. Joe Panik, 2B
3. Buster Posey, C
4. Pablo Sandoval, 3B
5. Hunter Pence, RF
6. Brandon Belt, 1B
7. Michael Morse, 3B
8. Travis Ishikawa, LF
9. Brandon Crawford, SS
   
   

National Anthem

Phillip Phillips? That’s his name? Is that what the kids are listening to today? An acoustic guitar?

So many questions....

Different, mild, completely inoffensive. 7/10. Nice work. Still waiting for the stinker...

Marlins Man

Last night we told the tale of the Marlins fan sitting in the front row behind home plate at Kauffman Stadium. As it happens, it started quite the row, with KC’s owner David Glass apparently furious that his orange jersey was breaking up all that Royal blue, on camera, every - single - pitch. The team reportedly offered him a private suite to move and other assorted “World Series goodies”.

Would he play ball? Nope. Laurence Leavy paid $8,000 for the seat and he wasn’t moving.

Will he show up tonight? And if the Marlins get back to the World Series, will he wear a Royals shirt? Seems only fair...

Superfan update

So the South Korean good luck charm was flown in, and right on cue, his Royals get buried. So, how does SungWoo Lee deal with defeat?

If SungWoo can move on, I’m pretty sure the Royals have as well.

Meanwhile, no truth to the rumor that Bob Saget flew in from San Francisco to play a similar role.