Billy Butler describes the team: “25 guys as one”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lorenzo Cain looped a two-run single and Eric Hosmer chopped a two-run double over shortstop in a seven-run second inning as the Kansas City Royals battered the San Francisco Giants 10-0 Tuesday night to force a decisive Game 7 in the World Series. “That was a huge inning for us, that turned things around, guys just stepped up and started swinging the bat. You know, everyone got some clutch hits during that inning, like I say, guys just stepped up and I’m happy we were able to get that beginning,” Cain said of the second inning.

In the seventh inning, Mike Moustakas hit the first home run of the series since Game 2, which was also his franchise-record fifth homer of the postseason. Willie Mays Aikens tweeted a congratulations to Moustakas. “Congraulation to Mike Moustakas for breaking my postseason home run record for the Royals. Way to go Moose. Keep it up Brother,” Aikens said. “”It feels good. I’d rather trade it for a ring though, A World Series ring any day. We gotta go out there and play hard tomorrow and go get a W again,” Moustakas said. Pitching with the initials of late St. Louis outfielder Oscar Taveras on his cap, 23-year-old rookie Yordano Ventura allowed three hits over seven innings for his first Series win. Ventura said he’s grieving the loss of his friend, but knows he’d proud of his performance in Game 6. “If he was still here, I would for sure be talking to him, and Oscar would be very happy for me and very proud. Oscar was a very humble guy and very likeable, and I’m going to miss him a lot.  I’m grieving and I want to send my best thoughts to his family,” Ventura said. A sharp Ventura was aided by the offense that scored as many runs in that second inning as the team did in games 3-5 in San Francisco. In that second inning, the Royals sent 11 batters to the plate, which lasted more than 30 minutes and ended with seven runs. Among them: Billy Butler, who sat on the bench in San Francisco. He doubled to right-center to make it 7-0. “Everyone in here’s fightin’ for each other next to him. I think that’s what makes us a dangerous team. I think that’s the reason we’re where we’re at.  We have the extremely high confidence in the guy next to them and we’re out there playing for each other. Twenty-five guys as one,” Butler said. Left fielder Alex Gordon was impressed with the way the team carried itself following the losses in Games 4 and 5. “I loved the clubhouse today. I came in, it felt like a regular season game, no pressure, everybody was pretty loose. I think it kind of showed out there today, so I was really proud of how we handled ourselves today, it was a good game,” Gordon said. Jeremy Guthrie starts Wednesday night for Kansas City and Tim Hudson for San Francisco in a rematch of Game 3, won by Kansas City 3-2. The 39-year-old Hudson will become the oldest Game 7 starter in Series history. Lurking is Madison Bumgarner, ready to pitch in relief after stifling the Royals on a total of one run in winning Games 1 and 5. Regardless of who is on the mound, first baseman Eric Hosmer says he’s ready for the moment. “It’s Game 7, it’s everything on the line and this is what we all prepare for, this is why you play the game,” he said.