2014 World Series: Game 7

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Yesterday I wrote that this years’ World Series end in a way how every World Series should end: With a game seven. I can say that every game seven should be like this years’ game seven. Once again it was a nailbiter.

Jeremy Guthrie started very well by retiring the first three batters that he faced. But in the second things looked gloomy when the Giants took a 2-0 lead. Guthrie started to hit Pablo Sandoval with a pitch and served up pitches that were hit for singles to load the bases. Sac flies by Michael Morse and Brandon Crawford drove in two runs for the team from San Francisco.

But the Royals showed some flexibility once again. Billy Butler led off the second with a single to center field. Alex Gordon followed with a double. Billy Butler, not the speediest guy on the Royals’ roster, scored all the way from first base. A fly out to left field (!) hit by Mike Moustakas advanced Alex Gordon to third base. Eventually Gordon scored the tying run on a sac fly by Omar Infante.

The fourth inning was (partially) decisive. Pablo Sandoval led off the inning with a single, followed by a single off the bat of Hunter Pence. A fly out hit by Brandon Belt towards left field advanced Pablo Sandoval to third base to put runners on the corners. That was enough for Ned Yost, who replaced Jeremy Guthrie with Kelvin Herrera. But Herrera couldn’t keep the Giants from scoring their third run when Michael Morse hit a linedrive to right field that drove in Pablo Sandoval from third.

In the bottom of the fifth, manager Bruce Bochy, made the move that sealed the game. He brought in Madison Bumgarner on a one day rest. Bumgarner started by giving up a single to Omar Infante but then cruised through the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings. With two outs in the ninth, Mad Bum gave up a single to Alex Gordon that was misplayed by center fielder Gregor Blanco. Gordon advanced to third base on the error. But that was the last glimmer of hope that the Royals had when Salvador Perez fouled out towards third baseman Pablo Sandoval for the final out.

Madison Bumgarner earned the MVP award. He won his two appearances in a very convincing way. One by going seven innings and allowing one run on three hits. One by pitching a complete shut out game in which he allowed four hits. With yesterday’s appearance he lowered his World Series ERA to an unreal 0.43 and is now leading the all time list of low WS ERA. His opponents hit a lowly .127 during the World Series. So I think this MVP award is well deserved.

I think that hitting coach Hensley Meulens deserves a lot of credit here as well. His philosophy of keeping the bat level paid off. I cannot remember a World Series in which such a small number of homeruns were hit by the winner. In this World Series, the Giants only hit two dingers.

I think that both teams were equally matched and that both teams deserved to win. Too bad for the Royals, the Giants had Bumgarner in their ranks. He was the difference between a losing team and a winning team.