Every year, sports fans wait in anticipation as their championship game comes to a close. Jack Morris’ 10-inning shutout, Bill Mazeroski’s walk off homerun, and Luis Gonzalez’s bloop single all come to mind when baseball fans think of game sevens. MLB fans may be able to witness another historic game on Wednesday as the Kansas City Royals match up with the San Francisco Giants in Kansas City for game seven of the 2014 World Series.
The Royals blew past the San Francisco 10-0 in game six. Kauffman Stadium was electric as fans stood and cheered from the first pitch to the final out.
Kansas City starter Yordano Ventura, who honored the late Oscar Taveras on his hat, drew comparisons to the great Pedro Martinez as he dominated the Giants from the mound. The 5’10 fire-baller from the Dominican Republic allowed only three hits in seven innings pitched. Ventura struck out four batters.
Ventura’s counterpart Jake Peavy did not fare as well. Peavy was removed in the second inning after allowing five runs on six hits.
Kansas City erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the second inning. Young Royals stars Mike Moustakas, Nori Aoki, Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, and Billy Butler all registered RBI hits in the inning. Kansas City had eight hits in the inning.
They tacked on another run in the third after two ground-rule doubles by Omar Infante and Cain.
San Francisco regrouped as reliever Jean Machi came out from the bullpen to deal three solid innings. Machi cruised until the fifth when Alcides Escobar lined a double to left field. Infante ran through a stop sign by the third-base coach and slid into home plate just ahead of Travis Ishikawa’s throw.
A solo homerun to right field by Moustakas gave the Royals their double digit lead.
This year’s World Series is the second time that two Wild Card teams have represented their respective leagues. The first one, in 2002, saw the American League Los Angeles Angels rally back from a three-games-to-two deficit to beat none other than the San Francisco Giants.
The Royals, who were also down three-to-two, will start longtime Baltimore Oriole Jeremy Guthrie. San Francisco will counter with longtime Atlanta Brave and Oakland Athletic Tim Hudson. Ace Madison Bumgarner will also be available from the bullpen.
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