World Series: Kansas City Royals Return Home With Backs Against The Wall
The Kansas City Royals are heading back to Kauffman Stadium down three games to two to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. The Royals must win both remaining games to take the best-of-seven series and win their first world championship since 1985. To say that their backs are against a wall is an understatement. But this Royals team wouldn’t have it any other way.
The improbable playoff run that Kansas City has pulled off has been nothing short of thrilling and arguably miraculous. Down 7-4 in the wild card playoff game to the Oakland A’s, the Royals stormed back and took the game in the twelfth inning. Then came a three game sweep against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who brought the best record in baseball with them into the post-season. It didn’t matter. The Baltimore Orioles were next in the American League Championship Series and the Royals kept the run going, sweeping the AL East champs. This Kansas City Royals team is scrappy and aren’t afraid of anybody, much less the National league-winning Giants.
The 2014 World Series has been as thrilling as the early rounds of the playoffs. The Giants took the first game, but then lost the next two. The Royals could not capitalize and lost momentum, losing the next two games to bring us to today. The good news for the Royals is that they won’t see a rested Madison Bumgarner again. Bumgarner has pitched two shutout games so far in the World Series and his command on the mound has made the Royals look silly at times. Kansas City hopes that a return home to the friendly confines of Kauffman Stadium can re-ignite their stagnant bats and prolong the series to a game seven and an eventual World Series championship.
The Royals have dealt with adversity all year, and the upstarts led by first baseman Eric Hosmer and outfielder Alex Gordon must pull it together these next two — last two — games to seal the deal. Going in the Royals’ favor is the return of the DH, giving manager Ned Yost another much needed bat in his lineup. Tonight’s matchup sees Yordano Ventura take the mound for the Royals against Jake Peavy for the Giants. Peavy got hammered his last time out — also in Kansas City — and that gives the Royals and their fans hope for another shelling tonight.
Game seven, if necessary, will feature Jeremy Guthrie for the Royals and the veteran Tim Hudson for the Giants. The last time these two squared off, the Royals got the win.
Kansas City has shown that they can get to the next two Giants pitchers, and make no mistake, they will have find their bats if they want to win a championship. It’s do or die now for the Kansas City Royals, and, as they have all season, they could very well pull it out.
The 2014 World Series concludes tonight (and tomorrow if necessary) in Kansas City.
[Image courtesy of Peter G. Aiken]
