SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Madison Bumgarner smothered the Kansas City Royals for the second time in a week, pitching a four-hitter that led the San Francisco Giants to a 5-0 victory Sunday night and a 3-2 World Series lead.
Bumgarner struck out eight and walked none in improving to 4-0 in four World Series starts. He has allowed one run in 31 Series innings, an astonishing 0.29 ERA.
“He’s got that arm angle and he’s got the cutter he can mix speeds on, and like I said, you really just can’t get in the hitters count off him really because he throws that cutter at so many different speeds and you’re just constantly trying to battle. He really didn’t leave to many pitches over the plate to hit for us,” first baseman Eric Hosmer said.
Brandon Crawford drove in three runs and Juan Perez hit a two-run double for the Giants, seeking to become only the second NL team to win three titles in a five-year span.
James Shields lost to Bumgarner for the second time, allowing eight hits and two runs in six innings.
“I made my pitches tonight, these guys just put the bat to the ball and found holes, and that ball probably would’ve been in the dirt and he ended up going out and getting it. It’s a tough match up and Bumgarner, obviously nine shutout innings, you can’t really beat that,” Shields said.
In the 41 previous instances the World Series was 2-2 in the best-of-seven format, the Game 5 winner has taken the title 27 times. After a day off, there will be a rematch of Game 2 starters, Yordano Ventura pitches for the Royals and Jake Peavy for the Giants. Third baseman Mike Moustakas said the team is looking forward to coming home.
“It’s gonna be nice you know, go back to the K, play in front of the home crowd, get Billy back in that lineup and we’ll see what happens,” he said.
Hosmer echoed that sentiment, saying he and his teammates aren’t in unfamiliar territory.
“Been here before, we’ve overcame this, the Wild Card game obviously was our back against the wall pretty much the whole game, so it’s nothing new. We just gotta take it a game at a time and worry about Game 6 and Jake Peavy,” he said.
Game 6 is Tuesday night, first pitch at Kauffman Stadium is at 7:07 and you can watch the game on FOX 4.
