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Where game one and two were rather one sided, game three was a nailbiter from the start.
Tim Hudson who started for the Giants allowed one run in the first inning when Alcides Escobar, who had hit a double and had advanced to third on a ground out by Alex Gordon to first base, scored the opening run on a 6-3 ground out hit by Lorenzo Cain. Hudson, who made his very first World Series appearance lasted five full innings and was replaced in the sixth after he had managed to get two outs. In 5.2 innings Hudson allowed three runs on four hits. Hudson struck out two and walked one.
The other two runs that Hudson was tabbed with, were scored in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Alcides Escobar singled to center field followed by a single hit by Alex Gordon on which Escobar could score the second run for Kansas CIty. After Lorenzo Cain grounded out 5-3, Tim Hudson was replaced by Javier Lopez. Lopez couldn’t prevent Alex Gordon from scoring when Eric Hosmer singled the latter home. Tim Hudson was tabbed for that run too.
But in their sixth at bat the Giants did something back. Jeremy Guthrie, who had pitched a great game so far, by denying the Giants a run, gave up a single to Brandon Crawford and a double to MIchael Morse that drove in Crawford for the Giants’ first run. Then Guthrie was replaced by Kelvin Herrera, who started with walking Gregor Blanco. A ground out by Joe Panik put Brandon Crawford and Gregor Blanco in scoring position. A 4-3 ground out by Buster Posey brought the Giants within one run of Kansas City.
The Kansas CIty bullpen kept the Giants from scoring more runs thus securing the win for Jeremy Guthrie and the Royals. Guthrie earned the win by pitching five full innings and facing two batters in the sixth inning. He didn’t strike out or walk anyone.
One pitcher of the Royals made the record -/ history books. Reliever Brandon Finnegan became the first pitcher that appeared in the College World Series and in the MLB World Series in one season. Finnegan played in this year’s Collge World Series for the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. They advanced to the second round but then fell to Virginia. Yesterday, Finnegan pitched 0.2 innings. He didn’t allow a hit and fanned one.
Greg Holland earned the save for the Royals by retiring all three batters that he faced in the ninth inning.
Due to this win the Royals now have a 2-1 lead over San Francisco.
Unfortunately there was one negative note to this game. And that was homeplate umpire Jim Reynolds. Sources have told me that he belongs to the best eight umpires in MLB. But last night his strike zone was far from consistent.