Kansas City, MO – The San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday behind a stunning performance by Madison Bumgarner to win their third World Series title in five seasons.
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With the victory, the Giants completed a 4-3 series win over the Royals in the best-of-seven Major League Baseball championship, adding another crown to their brilliant every-other-year pattern of post-season success dating back to 2010.
Michael Morse drove in a pair of runs and ace Bumgarner, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the World Series, came out of the bullpen to carry the Giants to victory with five innings of scoreless relief to add a save to his two previous wins.
“I was just thinking about getting outs until I couldn’t get them anymore,” said Bumgarner. “Fortunately I was able to get some quick innings and I was able to stay in there.
“Right now I’m not tired at all. We just won the World Series it’s hard to be tired right now.”
A raucous Kauffman Stadium and history were in the Kansas City corner ahead of the game as the home team had won the last nine World Series that went to a Game Seven, including the 1985 Royals.
But the Giants, who were hammered 10-0 Tuesday’s Game Six, bounced back to become the first road team to win a World Series Game Seven since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.
San Francisco drew first blood, loading the bases in the top of the second and pushing across a pair of runs on sacrifice flies from Morse and Brandon Crawford.
The Royals answered back in the bottom of second, Billy Butler hammering a leadoff single and racing home on Alex Gordon’s line drive double to the wall in right-center.
With the capacity crowd on their feet Omar Infante kept the celebrations going with a sacrifice fly to cash in Gordon and tie the contest at 2-2.
A single by Alcides Escobar marked the end of a short night’s work for Giants starter Tim Hudson.
Hudson, at 39 the oldest pitcher to start a World Series Game Seven, surrendered two runs on three hits in his brief 1-2/3 innings of work before manager Bruce Bochy made the call to the bullpen for Jeremy Affeldt.
The San Francisco bats were buzzing again in the fourth with Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence leading off with singles before Morse drove in his second run of the night on a broken bat fly that fell safely in right field for a single.
With Bumgarner on the hill, the one-run cushion was all the Giants would need to clinch the crown.
The Royals, however, threatened in the bottom of the ninth with two outs when Alex Gordon lined a shot into center and reached third base on a two-base error by Gregor Blanco, who allowed the ball to skip away to the wall.
But Bumgarner would not be denied, getting Salvador Perez to pop out to third baseman Sandoval in foul territory for the final out.
The 25-year-old Bumgarner was pitching on just two days rest after his 117-pitch 5-0 shutout on Sunday.
“He kept telling me ‘I’m ready to go,’ he said just put me in anytime and it couldn’t have worked out better,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said about Bumgarner.
“The plan was to use Jeremy (Affeldt) early and hope we get to the fifth inning, and a horse was out there and we rode him. It’s historic what this kid has done.
“Really truly amazing.”
Congrats
I’m not into baseball these days. But the giants win wakes up my memory (not sure which year) when Mariano Rivera blew the world series to them.
Was very painful.
This guy was great. Is he still around?
I am into baseball, but I cannot recall a series that generated less excitement. They really have to play at a more reasonable hour.
Baseball needs to cut 62 games off their season. So much bittul z’man.
Also every city (accept the sold out games) should set aside one thousand seats a night for the less privileged. This is the American sport, let all enjoy.
Nice to see two menchlichdik teams playing each other with respect, and calm fans.
Not like Boston.
Or the Yankees.