Postgame
Well, that was quite a little ballgame, wouldn’t you say? The Royals chased the Giants starter, were up 4-1, AT&T Park was quiet and KC were a few innings away from getting to that vaunted bullpen.
Then the sky fell.
The Giants Yusmeiro Petit came in to pitch, settled things down, and bought his team time before the middle inning explosion - nine runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings - 16 hits in all. Pence, Sandoval, Panik, Blanco, Belt, almost everybody was involved in turning this game on its head as San Francisco tied this Series with stunning force. Now their ace, Madison Bumgarner gets the ball tomorrow, one reason why the Royals knew they needed to win Game 4.
Instead, the Giants now have a chance to get out of Dodge with a 3-2 series lead, and that seemed a long ways away just a few innings ago...
We’ll be back on Sunday to do it again - live coverage of Game 5 starting at 730EST and 1130UK. Until then, thanks for reading, and good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight.
Royals 4-11 Giants, Final
A little bouncer back to Strickland, he throws to Belt at first, and this ballgame is over! The World Series is tied at two games apiece!
Royals 4-11 Giants, top 9th
Cain hits a ball to shallow right - here comes Pence, he’s sliding on both knees, and he’s MAKING THE CATCH! WOW!
You’re up seven runs and you’re still going 110MPH, that’s why you’re Hunter Pence.
Two down, with Gordon standing on second. Eric Hosmer is at the plate trying to extend this game...
Royals 4-11 Giants, top 9th
Gordon dumps a double down the first base line..and away we go. Cain is next.
Royals 4-11 Giants, top 9th
So here he is, and if nothing else, it makes for an interesting storyline during a ninth inning of a blowout game.
He starts with a 97MPH heater that Escobar can’t touch.
One down.
— MJG78 (@Techn0phobe) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid Bochy clearly has taken the over on home runs in this game. Strickland warms up in the pen with a 7 run lead.
As crazy as it seems, it’s a sensible play from Bochy. You never know what could happen, and you may need him to perform in a big spot down the line. That’s what this is all about - getting him some run so he can feel good about himself.
Royals 4-11 Giants, bottom 8th
Collins, still pitching for KC - Crawford strikes out to open the inning. Travis Ishikawa pinch-hits for Romo and lines to second.
Now it’s Blanco, who has been everywhere this game and this series. He grounds out, 4-3.
And here comes....Hun-ter? Hunter Strick-land?
Question...
Is it OK to lip synch to your own music at a baseball game?
Regardless, it’s certainly one of a kind...
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Royals 4-11 Giants, top 8th
Everybody up at AT&T Park with Nix in the hole 0-2!
Nix swings and misses - strike three - inning over!
Royals 4-11 Giants, top 8th
Sergio Romo is in for the Giants who are six outs away from tying this series up.
Infante pops to center, then Perez has a single, and moves over to second after Dyson grounds out. Two down, here is Nix who entered earlier on a double switch...
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— MJG78 (@Techn0phobe) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid We basically have 2 NL teams playing this WS in temperament at least. It's pretty gripping stuff!
Don’t tell Hunter, he’s an AL man.
Royals 4-11 Giants, bottom 7th
Perez strikes out and another huge inning for San Francisco is in the books.
— Bunter Felt (@HunterFelt) October 26, 2014Slept through most of the game. In my defense apparently so did the Royals. @LengelDavid
No, they’ve slept since the fifth.
Royals 4-11 Giants, bottom 7th
Panda pops up to Nix at third base for the second out before poor Tim Collins walks Brandon Belt.
So two on, two outs for Juan Perez.
Change
This is the kind of World Series that is putting a stamp on what is about to become a very trendy way of playing. The stodgy, wait around for the big blast, type of baseball we’ve been watching for awhile is dying with each game of this Fall Classic.
Movement, defense, risk taking, productive outs. That’s what’s happening.
— MJG78 (@Techn0phobe) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid This has been a HUGE (size 42 font required) comeback. Momentum in the series swings back to the Giants w MadBum up next
— Paula Halton (@haltonpm) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid I think keeping Finnegan in was a mistake for this inning. And now the wheels are falling off.
Taking one for the team...
RUN! Royals 4-11 Giants, bottom 7th
Pour it on Pence wants more - down the left field line it goes! Here comes Panik, Pence into second, and it’s a four-run inning for the Giants in the latest statement game in what is already an epic World Series!
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RUNS! Royals 4-10 Giants, bottom 7th
Panik lifts one to left-center and it’s going to find the gap! Here comes Morse! here comes Blanco!
The kid, Joe Panik has a two-RBI double and the Giants have broken this thing wide open!
We are running out of adjectives here!
RUN! Royals 4-8 Giants, bottom 7th
So Jayson Nix takes over at third base in place of Moustakas and hit ninth, while the pitchers spot is now fifth.
Blanco lays down a bunt to try and move the runners and gets a lot more! Collins has it and THROWS IT AWAY!
Here comes Crawford, and the Giants tack on a run here in the seventh! And there’s a chance for more...first and third, nobody out - here’ Panik...
— MJG78 (@Techn0phobe) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid At risk of jinxing this.. starters from this point for SF? MadBum-> Hudson->Timmy/Petit I think KC have Peavy's number
Dude, are you crazy?
Royals 4-7 Giants, bottom 7th
Now he’s walked Morse so there’s two on, no out. And here comes Yost to get the kid.
Lefty Tim Collins will come in to pitch...
Royals 4-7 Giants, bottom 7th
Tom Verducci has used the holding back the Giants is like holding back water with your hands line...again.
It’s kinda sorta true though. Here’s some more of that - a Brandon Crawford infield hit to start the seventh.
Now Michael Morse steps to the plate as the pinch-hitter. Some big outs for Finnegan...who is kind of the World Series edition of take one for the team...
Royals 4-7 Giants, top 7th
Moustakas hits it deep into the shift - Panik is on the grass at second base and makes the play. Side retired, and the Giants are just six outs away from evening up this series.
It’s stretch time in San Francisco!
Royals 4-7 Giants, top 7th
There’s two filthy curveballs before Hosmer gets a little bit of wood on it - Affeldt, off the mound, falls down trying to make the play and Hosmer has himself a two-out, inning-extending infield base hit.
Moustakas is next.
Royals 4-7 Giants, top 7th
Gordon facing the lefty Jeremy Affeldt. Here’s a ball hit to left - Perez has a long long way to go but he makes a great catch, running it down in all that real estate!
And that is exactly why Michael Morse is not playing in left field tonight.
One down, and Cain lines one to third, but it’s right at Sandoval! it’s hit so hard he falls to the dirt! Two down, and Giants momentum seems to grow with each play!
Now it’s up to Hosmer...
— Matt Dubuque (@mjd1735) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid Is this series turning into a classic death match between youth and experience, like a Bergman film?
Well, I can at least confirm it’s turning into a classic...
Royals 4-7 Giants, bottom 6th
Perez grounds out to end the inning but the Giants punish Finnegan and the Royals, reversing a three run deficit at AT&T Park!
RUN! Royals 4-7 Giants, bottom 6th
More! Belt has a base hit to center! Here comes Pence and the Giants have put up three huge runs here and have scored six unanswered!
What a series! What a game!
RUNS! Royals 4-6 Giants, bottom 6th
Sandoval first pitch swinging - he reaches out and pokes it to left centerfield - that’s a base hit! Blanco scores - Posey comes all the way around from second - and Panda puts the Giants on top!
Royals 4-4 Giants, bottom 6th
Finnegan, left handed pitcher, Pence, right handed batter. He’s first pitch swinging - fouls it off.
Damn - patience son, patience.
A pitch later Pence grounds sharply to Escobar - dopes he start the double play? No - he fires home to Perez for the force play! Smart baseball...
Now it’s up to Sandoval with two down.
UNDER REVEW! Royals 4-4 Giants, bottom 6th
The umpires reviewing the play in New York says Arias is safe, which was pretty clear.
Then Panik lays down a beautiful bunt - Moustakas comes in to field it and fires to first for the first out of the inning. It moves Blanco to second and Arias to third.
Now they’re going to walk Posey to load the bases and bring Pence to the plate looking for the double play...
It’s a logical move, but you know Pence is jumping out of his skin right now...
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UNDER REVEW! Royals 4-4 Giants, bottom 6th
Perez fires down to second to try and nail Arias, who was sneaking off the bag at second base because Panik is trying to lay down a bunt. Absolutely filthy play from Perez who nearly got Arias there.
They are going to review it in New York but he’s safe...
— MJG78 (@Techn0phobe) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid .. but then Arias gets on base. Who knows.. What I do know is I'd rather Petit pitch more innings than Timmy L
No, that was OK. I have no problem with it...especially now.
Royals 4-4 Giants, bottom 6th
The 21-year-old college boy Brandon Finnegan is in for KC, and he immediately serves up a base hit to right to Joaquin Arias, who pinch hit for Petit.
Now the southpaw faces the Giants leadoff man, Gregor Blanco, who is dirty and wearing all that diamond dust with pride.
Now he’s got a knock - this time it’s to left, and Yost better go get the kid...NOW!
Two on, no outs and here is another kid, Joe Panik...
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Royals 4-4 Giants, top 6th
Dyson follows his defense with a base hit, which so often happens.
Then Nori Aoki pinch hits for Duffy and grounds into a 3-6-3 double play! That’s the first baseman, to the shortstop and back to the first baseman - two outs, one time!
Fantastic DP there by Belt and Crawford.
Now we’re back to the top of the lineup, and Escobar flies out harmlessly to left and that’s the inning for Petit, who has settled everything down for San Francisco in relief!
Tremendous effort.
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Jason Vargas
He was serviceable but then he ran into a wall. He also sat for about three hours in the top of the third inning, which could not have helped.
4IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 3SO, 0HR
— Matt Dubuque (@mjd1735) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid Starting with last night, Perez has had consistently good at bats. Surprising, but great.
Well, he got the job done, and if almost anyone else is in center field, he has more to show for it.
Royals 4-4 Giants, bottom 5th
With two on and two out, Crawford watches strike three fly past him on the outside corner!
Side retired, but we begin anew....
RUN! Royals 4-4 Giants, bottom 5th
He lifts a blooper - here comes Dyson, diving forward - HE MAKES THE CATCH!
Wow, put that on the list of tremendous defensive plays we’ve seen in this World Series!
It saves a run, but Pence tags up on the sac-fly and we are TIED!
Brandon Crawford is next.
Man, this game is awesome - life is good!
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Royals 4-3 Giants, bottom 5th
Belt draws a walk - bases loaded! Pitching coach Dave Eiland is out to talk to Duffy, while Royals reliever races to get ready in the bullpen.
It’s part-timer Juan Perez stepping in.
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Royals 4-3 Giants, bottom 5th
Duffy is greeted rudely!
Sandoval - a base hit to left! Pence stops at third, and there’s runners at the corners with one out. Here’s Brandon Belt - a lefty-on-lefy encounter...and he’s ahead 3-0!
AT&T Park is up!
Don’t mess with Panda...
RUN! Royals 4-3 Giants, bottom 5th
Pence gets more than a fly ball - he’s got himself a base hit! It finds its way through the infield because KC manager Ned Yost had his infield playing half way, otherwise Escobar eats that in his sleep.
And speaking of Yost, here he is to pull Frasor. Danny Duffy is heading in to face Panda, so cue that organ...
— Paula Halton (@haltonpm) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid I'm game for an extra innings nail biter. Seems about right for these two to make that happen. #WorldSeriesGame4
— Matt Dubuque (@mjd1735) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid Panik is one VERY calm, relaxed, superb rookie!
What else would you expect from a Yonkers man?
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Royals 4-2 Giants, bottom 5th
Talk about range - Alcides Escobar has it. He’s gliding to his left and gobbling up a ball just to the left of second base before throwing to first for the out. Posey is retired.
Panik moves over to third base, and now Pence is up looking for a fly ball to get the Giants to within a run.
Ryan Vogelsong
Remember him? I owe you his line, don’t I...
2.2IP 6H 2R 2ER 2BB 3SO 0HR
He was basically nickel and dimed to death, but that’s what these Royals do.
Meanwhile...
...righty Jason Frasor is in to face Buster Posey, who represents the tying run.
Royals 4-2 Giants, bottom 5th
Panik gets into one - it’s a gapper to right center! Cain does an amazing job to keep that ball from going to the wall and Panik cruises into second base with a leadoff double.
That will do it for Vargas, Yost comes and gets him, which reminds me...
Royals 4-2 Giants, top 5th
Infante is gunned down and so it is up to Sweetness - Salvador Perez...who pops out to center ending the inning.
KC strand a leadoff double, never a good thing, and the Giants feel good trotting to the dugout.
Panik, Posey and Pence coming up...
Royals 4-2 Giants, top 5th
Moustakas fists a ball inside to Crawford and that’s an easy out on a good pitch from Petit.
Now here’s the silent killer - Omar Infante, trying to get that fifth run in for KC.
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Royals 4-2 Giants, top 5th
Hosmer begins with a bang - a rope into the right field corner over the glove of an outstretched Brandon Belt. It’s a leadoff double and the Giants are back in the fire in the fifth.
Royals 4-2 Giants, bottom 4th
Blanco pops up to Escobar at short, and the Royals are out of trouble in the fourth!
There was a lot of good strategy there, and as the FOX TV pro-NL rules boys pointed out, again and again, it’s a great advertisement for National League Baseball.
To the fifth!
Royals 4-2 Giants, bottom 4th
Blanco is in the hole and the second strike was low and away and totally outside. Never-mind. Can he pull out of it?
Royals 4-2 Giants, bottom 4th
Crawford skies to right - Cain has it...and Petit, the pitcher, will bat instead of Morse. Meanwhile, Danny Duffy started warming up for the Royals in case Morse was brought in, which he wasn’t. That’s sensible. Lincecum heads back into the dugout in a retreat and get this...Petit, a reliever, has himself a bloop base hit!
That means Hunter is running around Boston somewhere freaking out.
So top of the lineup now and that means Blanco with two on and two out...big at-bat coming up.
Royals 4-2 Giants, bottom 4th
Belt climbs out of an 0-2 hole to force the count full....and then he swings through a fastball.
One down. Here’s Juan Perez, who lines a base hit on an 0-2 count, just past the outstretched arm of Alcides Escober.
So it’s one out, one on and Brandon Craford at the plate.
Tim Lincecum is now warming up in the bullpen for the Giants, because the pitchers spot is looming and Michael Morse is looking hungry in the dugout....
Royals 4-2 Giants, top 4th
Escobar skies it high. Really high. Mile high. It comes down, eventually and into the glove of Crawford.
Then Gordon gives it a ride into the great wide open. It’s gone anywhere else, but not in this cavern where right-center field is 421 feet from home plate. Blanco tracks it down, two outs.
So now Petit is an out away from ending this inning - and he GETS CAIN SWINGING!
The Giants coax a 1-2-3 inning out of KC, which was sorely needed after the marathon third.
— MJG78 (@Techn0phobe) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid At least Duffy scored. We gave up 4 runs trying to get him in the game..
Yep.
Royals 4-2 Giants, bottom 3rd
Sandoval chases junk away - bad bad bad. Side retired, but the Giants show a bit of life. Now they need some pitching from Petit...
Royals 4-2 Giants, bottom 3rd
Hitting - it’s contagious. Pence laces a changeup up in the zone to the same spot Posey did! So now it’s two on, two out for Pablo Sandoval - big spot here, very big spot.
RUN! Royals 4-2 Giants, bottom 3rd
Posey delivers in a pinch! He lines a single to left and Duffy comes around and slides across the plate! That’s a huge run and a very good sign that Posey came through there - just what he needed.
Now Pence is up with one on and two out.
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Royals 4-1 Giants, bottom 3rd
Blanco wanted time to be called but it’s too late, Barrett doesn’t grant it and Vargas fires a strike past Blanco. The vibe in San Francisco right now...it’s not good.
Blanco grounds out to second - Infante thought about trying to get the lead runner at second, but he retreats to get Blanco at first.
So a runner in scoring position, and Panik with an opportunity. Or Panik, who had an opportunity - the second baseman pops out out left for the seocond out. So it’s up to the slumping Posey to bring in Duffy...
Royals 4-1 Giants, bottom 3rd
Matt Duffy pinch hits for Machi who thankfully did not walk the pitcher to force in a run.
It’s the start of the bottom of the third and we’ve been playing for 1:27, and that’s, well...moving on.
Duffy gets it going for the Giants and their fans - he reaches out and tags a ball to left for a base hit - here comes the top of the order and Gregor Blanco, who basically scored a run on his own in the first inning.
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Royals 4-1 Giants, top 3rd
It looks high, it looks tight, but umpire Ted Barrett calls strike three and believe it or not, this hell of an inning for Giants fans has finally come to a close.
Royals 4-1 Giants, top 3rd
He’s going to walk the pitcher and walk in a run isn’t he....he’s not, is he?
Full count...
Royals 4-1 Giants, top 3rd
The nightmare continues - Dyson walks, the bases are loaded and here comes Vargas, who led off this inning a few hours ago.
— MJG78 (@Techn0phobe) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid Clarity of hindsight etc.. But Vogelsong was shot after the error on the play at 1st. You could see it in his eyes.
Royals 4-1 Giants, top 3rd
Machi, a righty, is supposed to be here as a bridge to the long man, Yusmeiro Petit because the pitchers spot is up first for the Giants in the bottom of the inning.
Some thought Petit should have gotten the start over Vogelsong.
Machi is pitching to Dyson with runners on first and second and two out. The count runs full....
RUN! Royals 4-1 Giants, top 3rd
Sweet Salvador delivers! It’s a bloop single to center and Bochy, who should’ve gone out and gotten Vogelsong after the Infante hit gets burned!
Moustakas comes across and the Royals have hung a crooked number in the third.
Now Bochy is out to get Vogelsong - Machi will come in and try to get out of this wildly long inning. Cue the organ...
Hair
If you are a Giants fan you have to be pulling your hair out right now. This inning should’ve been over ages ago, but some odd bounces and some ugly fielding means the Royals are up.
Another big at-bat here with two on, two outs and Perez at the plate.
RUNS! Royals 3-1 Giants, top 3rd
And right on cue...base hit up the middle!
Cain walks home, here comes Hosmer across the plate - it’s a two-run single for Omar Infante and the Royals take the lead!
— MJG78 (@Techn0phobe) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid These botched infield plays are reminiscent of the Cards in the NLCS. This could be the game if he doesn't get out this jam.
Royals 1-1 Giants, top 3rd
They’re waving orange towels in San Francisco, getting behind Vogelsong. Right-handed pitcher, right-handed batter.
He’s ahead 1-2 before Infante lays off a fastball outside...
Royals 1-1 Giants, top 3rd
Vogelsong walks Moustakas to load the bases. There’s a meeting a the mound while Jean Machi warms up in the bullpen...
Here is Omar Infante looking for a timely hit in an enormous spot here...
RUN! Royals 1-1 Giants, top 3rd
Hosmer grounds to an in-between area between the mound and first base - Belt is turned around and throws to Vogelsong who is also in an odd position while running to cover first base - it’s all very messy and in the end, Hosmer is safe! That means Gordon comes home to score on what is another bizarre series of infield events.
Tie game, runners on first and second and here’s Moustakas.
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Royals 0-1 Giants, top 3rd
Gordon is running, and he arrives at second just as the ball does and it gets away from Panik! That’s a stolen base on a good throw from Posey through the rain drops.
Then Cain bounces to short - it’s going to be a close play - Crawford fires and he’s...SAFE! And he’s also limping, which is not a good sign at all for Kansas City.
Still, he stays in the game while Gordon is over at third and here comes Eric Hosmer in a big early-game at-bat here.
Royals 0-1 Giants, top 3rd
Gordon grounds to first - Belt has it and fires to second but the throw is high. Crawford recovers to get the force out and then fires to first, not in time to get Gordon.
So now it’s two outs, with one on for Lorenzo Cain. FOX shows us video of the Royals center fielder walking with a slight “hitch” in-between innings...so we’ll watch that.
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Royals 0-1 Giants, top 3rd
Escobar is locked in, lining another base hit to center. He’s going to run right?
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Royals 0-1 Giants, top 3rd
Here is Jason Vargas, whose hitting experience in college is getting an awful lot of run from the FOX boys. Vogelsong runs the count full, and the Vargas starts fouling off pitches - so he’s pesky, as advertised.
Then he lifts one to deep, deep center - it’s just in front of the track before Blanco settles under it for the first out. Good show from Vargas.
Top of the order, here’s Escobar.
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Royals 0-1 Giants, bottom 2nd
Vargas gets a couple of fly ball outs to center to start the second...both Belt and Perez are put away by Dyson.
Then Crawford is up, and wouldn’t it be great for him to get on to clear the pitcher? Nothing doing - he grounds out to first, with Hosmer flipping to Vargas, who does a good job getting to the bag on a close play. Side retired - that’s a 1-2-3 inning.
— Kembrek (@kembrek83) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid Tonight the first #worldseries game between two pitchers whose names begin with a V. Thanks for that FOX. #onlyconnect
People are down on FOX right now, and amazingly, one of the reasons is that Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci are making people miss Tim McCarver.
It’s true!
Here are some tweets that prove it...
— Eric Wilbur (@GlobeEricWilbur) October 23, 2014Harold Reynolds is so bad he actually, honestly makes me miss Tim McCarver.
— Adonis Q Einstein (@AdonisQEinstein) October 22, 2014Every yr I asked for them to get rid of Tim McCarver in the booth. When they did, they replaced him with Harold Reynolds. This is my fault
— Derek Blume (@doc_blume) October 22, 2014I can't believe I'm going to say this, but Harold Reynolds is making Tim McCarver look like Vin Scully.
Yeah, that’s a good one...
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Royals 0-1 Giants, top 2nd
Oh man, here comes the rain.
No rain delay. No rain delay.
Dyson grounds to Belt who is moving to his right, and so he decides to throw to second to get Perez on the force out, which is sensible because Dyson can run about 200MPH.
Inning over.
Please no rain delay.
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Royals 0-1 Giants, top 2nd
Mike Moustakas grounds out, right into the infield shift. One down. Then Infante skies to the catcher for the second out.
Now it’s up to Sweet Smelling Salvador Perez, who is jammed, shatters his bat, but somehow gets the ball past both Crawford and Sandoval for a two-out base hit. Speedster Jarrod Dyson is up trying to keep this inning alive.
— MJG78 (@Techn0phobe) October 26, 2014@LengelDavid Unearned run without the ball leaving the infield #giantsbaseball
The future of baseball is here!
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Royals 0-1 Giants, bottom 1st
Pablo Sandoval whiffs at a changeup and the inning is over...but the home team get a run and have an early lead!
RUN! Royals 0-1 Giants, bottom 1st
Pence grounds to third - Blanco holds while Moustakas fires to second for one....and now Blanco takes off for home!
The throw from second to first is not in time to get Pence and Blanco comes home to score!
The hustle of Pence is the reason why they have an early lead here - and they didn’t even need a hit!
That is the definition of scratching out a run!
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Royals 0-0 Giants, bottom 1st
Ned Yost brings the infield in, so both managers are playing like runs will be at a premium tonight.
The count is full and Posey lays off a breaking ball in the dirt! So now it’s first and third with one out for Hunter Pence, who is practically drooling.
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Royals 0-0 Giants, bottom 1st
And some more wildly aggressive tactics! Posey at the plate, and Blanco takes off for third now! He’s SAFE!!
Wow, the Giants are playing the Royals game! Taking some enormous, and probably ridiculous chances early. But heck, it worked, and now the Giants are a fly ball away from an early lead.
Meanwhile, Buster Posey is in the hole 1-2...
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Royals 0-0 Giants, bottom 1st
Panik shows bunt, the ball is in the dirt gets away - Blanco is running! Perez jumps on it and fires high to second base and Blanco is SAFE!
Oh yeah, we got action....
Panik flies out to the third baseman Mike Moustakas for the first out.
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Royals 0-0 Giants, bottom 1st
Bobby Valentine once said:
You gotta get that leading lady...
Blanco is on first after the bases on balls...this crowd is looking for an excuse to flip out. Can Joe Panik provide it?
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Resins man writes:
Apologies to Jeremy Guthrie for doubting his abilities as a starting pitcher.
I get the idea he’ll let you off the hook...
Royals 0-0 Giants, top 1st
Kapow! Hosmer swings through a slider, the crowd roars and this inning is over!
Here come the Giants!
Royals 0-0 Giants, top 1st
Cain slices a ball to right field that just dies before Hunter Pence can catch up with it. So that means Lorenzo has himself a two-out base hit with Eric Hosmer walking to the batters box.
We're off!
Vogelsong is dealing! Last nights hitting star, Alcides Escobar, grounds out to shortstop for the first out, and then Gordon is caught looking.
It looks a little dark out there in the Bay Area, let’s hope it stays dry tonight...
...here is Lorenzo Cain batting third.
— Baseball Tonight (@BBTN) October 25, 2014Great rendition of the national anthem by Carlos Santana and his son, Salvador. pic.twitter.com/Z6a5wFT3ru
Well, he didn’t even wait for the public address announcer to finish the introduction, although that could have been the delay. Still, no way I’m talking any kind of smack with Santana ripping off the anthem. Call it 7.5/10.
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And here they are, your San Francisco Giants!
- Gregor Blanco, CF
- Joe Panik, 2B
- Buster Posey, C
- Hunter Pence, RF
- Pablo Sandoval, 3B
- Brandon Belt, 1B
- Juan Perez, LF
- Brandon Crawford, SS
- Ryan Vogelsong, RHP
Well, Pence moves up in the lineup as they sandwich him in-between Posey and Sandoval. Juan Perez starts in place of Travis Ishikawa because he is a righty, and the Giants are facing the lefty, which is good news.
Frank Thomas, working for FOX TV wanted to see the right-handed Michael Morse in left field tonight, but this series is all about defense, and with the wind howling tonight that’s a move that would have gone against the grain.
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Kansas City Royals
- Alcides Escobar, SS
- Alex Gordon, LF
- Lorenzo Cain, RF
- Eric Hosmer, 1B
- Mike Moustakas, 3B
- Omar Infante, 2B
- Salvador Perez, C
- Jarrod Dyson, CF
- Jason Vargas, LHP
It’s the same as last night, which makes a heck of a lot of sense.
— Richard Meade (@drinkingt) October 25, 2014World Series has me longing for the days of Baseball on Five. Here’s to you @JonnyMGould @joshchetwynd @LengelDavid @ErikJanssen. Hardcore!
There’s a long line of people who miss that show, and we’re in the front.
And speaking of the UK, this is the night the clocks go back in the over in GB, which means this is the night to stay up late and watch the World Series! Sleep-is-overrated!
Memories...
Twelve years ago I was covering the Giants v Angels World Series and picked this up outside the ballpark - two for $20.
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) October 25, 2014Found this San Francisco #Giants gem in my closet. In 02 it was Bonds vs the Rally Monkey-it's not just a rude shirt. pic.twitter.com/jfvkf5aTfY
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Updated
Preamble
The Giants are the team used to piling the pressure onto their opponents. Now San Francisco are the team in desperate need of a victory after falling to the Royals in a Game 3 Friday night thriller in at AT&T Park.
The Giants managed just four hits against Kansas City pitchers, with the Royals getting solid work from starter Jeremy Guthrie and their vaunted bullpen. Otherwise, a few timely hits, some incredible defense and Alcides Escobar, who had two knocks and two runs scored, helped put the Giants into a compromising position after their 3-2 defeat.
With the Giants dropping the first of three games at AT&T Park and falling behind 2-1 in the series, most of the talk since (and even before) KC closer Greg Holland shut down San Francisco, has been whether or not manager Bruce Bochy should start his ace, Madison Bumgarner against KC tonight.
The speculation began pre-game with Bumgarner allegedly telling teammates:
My pitching tomorrow is not an issue. I am. I will not take no for an answer.
The quote came via Peter Gammons, a celebrated, veteran baseball columnist who tends to know his stuff. So the denial from Bumgarner after the game, in which he claimed to have never said anything remotely resembling such a statement, was a bit curious. Bumgarner also said:
I’ve been here with him since 2011 and I’ve seen what he can do. There’s nobody I’d rather have out there.
“Him” would be Ryan Vogelsong, who will start tonight in a high stakes situation after Bochy elected to stay the course, and not have the pitcher with a 1.41 postseason ERA have a crack at pitching three times in a seven-game-series, even if the latter two would be on short rest.
Good decision? Bad decision? That’s something we can debate all night long, but one thing we do know is that Vogelsong, despite his 2013 struggles, can bring it, as we saw vs Washington in the NLDS. The Hyde inside the righty is also capable of appearing, and he left his NLCS start against St Louis after giving up four runs in just three innings.
He’ll face southpaw Jason Vargas tonight, who is getting much less ink/pixels despite giving up just three runs in 11.1 innings this postseason.
So, will Royals manager Ned Yost, who successfully altered his lineup and defense for the first time in 34 games on Friday continue push (almost) all the right buttons? Will Vogelsong keep his team in the ballgame? Will KC stay hot? Will Salvador Perez wear perfume tonight? Right now I can only answer one of those questions, and it’s a resounding yes...and thank goodness.
We’ve got World Series baseball coming right up, but until then, let the great Bumgarner debate continue - tweet in to:
or email:
david.lengel.freelance@theguardian.com
First pitch is at 8:07EST and 1:07UK. Stand by for Game 4!
