RIP Oscar Tavaras. The young Cardinal outfielder apparently died today in a car accident in the DR. He as a rising star who had only a short season with the Cardinals.
Madison Bumgarner was spectacular. He threw the first shutout in a World Series game since Josh Beckett in 2003 for the Marlins. He earned his fourth career World Series victory. In 31 innings of World Series ball, he has given up a total of 1 run. Tonight, he threw 117 pitches, 84 of them were strikes. He allowed 4 hits and struck out 8. He allowed 1 runner to reach 2nd base. He did not walk anyone. When the game started, before Maddy settled down, I thought he looked tired. Not from watching him pitch, but just from the look on his face, as though he had a touch of the Giants flu. Shows how well I can read the taciturn lefty, as he gave up a single to Salvador Perez to start the 2nd inning and promptly retired the side on strikeouts. Madison Bumgarner is 25 years old.
The Giants scratched and clawed for their first 2 runs. The first came in the 2nd on a Pence single, a Belt bunt for a base hit (his first in his major league career), an Ishikawa sac fly and a Crawford ground out. The second came in the 4th, also on a Crawford single to score Pablo from 2nd base with 2 outs. Brandon Crawford also collected the final rbi in the 8th, scoring Juan Perez from 3rd.
The 8th inning was amazing. Pablo and Pence started off with singles off of the allegedly unhittable Kelvin Herrera, the first of the three-headed monster that the Royals use for the last three innings, usually when they are ahead. Then the Royals brought in Wade Davis, head #2. After Brandon Belt struck out, Juan Perez put a pitch withing inches of the top of the wall in center for a 2 run double, taking 3rd on the throw. Final score, 5 to 0. Hits up and down the lineup, only Gregor Blanco and Madison Bumgarner did not get a hit.
I like the look of things from here. True, we are going back to Kansas City. However, obviously, we are 1 game up. Second, we get to put Morse back in the lineup. Third, we have the following pitchers to use for multiple innings: Jake Peavy, Tim Hudson, Ryan Vogelsong, Yusmeiro Petit, and Tim Lincecum; the Royals can't match that. Fourth, the bubble of the three-headed monster has been pierced, and the Royals have to be soured on their other relievers. Finally, if you believe in momentum, we got it.
Go Giants!
15 comments:
A side note. I love watching Gregor Blanco bat from the side angle. Fellow Venezulan Salvador Perez is almost as tall as Gregor. When he is on his knees.
An amazing, overpowering performance by the Giants superstar southpaw. Not much to say other than "wow."
And I agree, I like the Giants chances. Peavy has Petit to back him up. I've no doubt Boch will go for the kill in Game Six and have Afffeldt, Lopez, Romo, and Casilla up early if needed and ready to slam the door.
If it goes to Seven he's got Hudson on his normal rest and could get innings out of Vogie and even MadBum if necessary.
I don't think it will be. The Giants have too many weapons at this point. How about two hits from Ishikawa and the crushing blast from Perez? I though left field was a problem spot! Morse's DH power bat, as you pointed out, is another arrow in the quiver.
That's 15 straight scoreless innings and 15 unanswered runs. If I were KC I'd be just a wee bit intimidated. Our championship pedigreed team is smelling blood.
ONE MORE WIN TO GO !!!
That was shockingly predictable! I mean, I didn't think he would throw a shutout, but I knew he would be tough. Wow, a real legend. We better win this if only for MadBum to get all the glory he deserves.
Juan Perez must be the happiest fellow on the planet today. He and Travis have become a fearsome platoon! That was sure predictable!! I can't wait to see if they have any more magic left in them.
Suppose we will hear a lot about 2002 now. I don't think it means anything to the players, but the wounds are still there for me. Oh joy
I want comparisons between MadBum and Kershaw. If Kershaw's so awesome why does he always suck in the post season? I hope he never gets another chance to redeem himself in that regard but if he does he'll probably suck again.
As for OUR lefty...lots of pitchers don't even make it to the majors until they're 25 or so. We've always known he was good. It's quite a thing to see him attain such status and exceed expectations. The Giants need to make sure he gets many more opportunities to enhance his legend. I'm tired of this every other year crap. Let's win every year.
That was one of the best pitched games ever. One to tell your grandkids. Absolute legend, that bearded fella from North Carolina.
First, 2002 obviously comes to mind, but so does 1987. Another case of going to Missouri with a 3 games to 2 lead - in that case, we didn't even score a run in Games 6 & 7. So, I am counting nothing yet.
Now, the first great thing about last night's game was that I actually got to see it. We were down the street at my Mother-in-Law's Apartment. Power at home didn't come back on until 10 PM.
There's little left to say about MadBum's historic Post-Season. Frankly, if we didn't have someone as battle-hardened as Tim Hudson in line for Game 7, I would be thinking about the Mickey Lolich routine (3 CG Wins - in that case, Games 2, 5, & 7). But, I am hoping that we don't even see a Game 7.
Crawford had a nice game, & Belt's bunt was an overdue genius move against these ridiculous shifts. What was even more critical was Belt's tag-up on Ishikawa's long fly ball. If Belt's not at 2nd base, Crawford's RBI grounder is probably a DP.
Of course, having been a Student of the Game for almost 50 years, I informed my Son, Leon, that his wish for Juan Perez to hit an HR was an unreasonable one. He asked me why, so I patiently explained that Perez is not a power hitter & that a Single or a Walk would be absolutely wonderful in that situation. When that ball came within 4" of disappearing over the wall, I looked like a real genius.
It was nice to knock Herrera & Davis around, but I was kind of hoping to save that for Game 6. I hope that we don't get ourselves into a position to see those guys tomorrow. Getting a few early runs to support 6 strong Peavy IP, followed by Affeldt / Romo / Casilla for the title would be just fine with me. Can we have 3 different Closers finish 3 different World Series in 3 different cities? I hope so!
Go Giants!!!!
I don't understand why everyone is so hung up on 2002. I know what happened and the fact that we were up 3 games to 2 going to the opponent's city. But in 2010 we won in the opponent's city, and in 2012 we won in the opponent's city. The team is focused, the team is rested and ready and the team has Buster.
Remember Scott Spezio...
the Juan Perez highlight video has 3 announcers - Buck (bleh), Miller (yeah) and the Spanish feed... excellent.
6 strong Peavy IP
5 strong
Please
In 2010, the Giants won their season opener, and won the World Series. In 2012, the Giants lost their season opener, and won the World Series. WHAT COULD IT MEAN FOR 2014???
I agree with most of the comments here.
Bumgarner: we ARE NOT WORTHY! I guess people are over by now the fact that we drafted him over a bunch of hitters that were available. Pitching is the life's blood of the playoffs, champion's blood, and an ace will trump almost any other pitcher than a fellow ace.
Very amazing what Bumgarner has done already by age 25, an age when most players are still struggling to make the majors. And he's been doing it since he was 20! Sabean, Tidrow, and gang are the best!
I like the Giants chances too, but I expect Bochy to pull out all the stops to win Game 6. Go for the kill, now! But yeah, they got to be depressed by how our pitching is shutting them down, cold, and meanwhile, we are getting key hits from overlooked guys like Crawford, Ishikawa and Perez, while the Royals can't muster much from their go-to hitters. Got to be disheartening.
Zo, I think people are hung up over them because the sting of those losses has reverberated to today. I know the stings were huge, given our desperation as fans to see our team win one, finally. And before 2010, it became the habit of some to wallow in those losses, and fear the worst will happen.
You bring up great examples of how that has not been a problem lately. But the ghost of 1987 fully formed because this series happened to follow the same exact win/loss home/road pattern as in 1987, so that similarity spooks some. It's kind of like that Lincoln/Kennedy similarity thing that some people like to point out (like Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy, Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln, both had VP's from the South with the same number of letters - or something like that - etc.), that spooks some people.
And I totally agree with you, we got Buster on this team, and with due respect to the great players who were on the 1987 team, that's something they didn't have.
Something else that team didn't have: a shutdown bullpen.
I think we are in good shape, but that's on paper and that's why they play the games, as the cliche goes. Go Giants!
I think it is mainly so that newspaper columnists can have something to write. It is, just as with Kennedy/Lincoln, meaningless. You don't count on anything because you should never count on anything. That is all.
Who is our "bridge" this game? It is doubtful Peavy will be in much past 5 or 6 innings, so who do we use to get to the back end of the pen? Is tonight the time we see Tim actually in a game or do they keep the masses happy with cheap talk and a few warm up pitches?
Vogie is "the bridge" for righties and MadBum for lefties.
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