Just as it has been for the entire postseason, the story of the San Francisco Giants’ victory tonight in Game 5 of the World Series can be told in just two words: Madison Bumgarner.
The Giants’ ace was absolutely masterful yet again, firing the first complete game shutout in a World Series game since Josh Beckett in 2003 as he led the Giants to a 5-0 win at AT&T Park. The 25-year-old left-hander allowed just four hits and struck out eight, and in his four career World Series starts has allowed just one earned run in 31 innings for an ERA of 0.29. That number is the best in MLB history among those with at least 25 World Series innings pitched.
While there wasn’t much in the way of offense, there didn’t really need to be; the Giants manufactured runs in the 2nd and 4th innings, with Brandon Crawford picking up both RBIs, and the home team added a couple insurance runs in the 8th inning as they touched up reliever Wade Davis for four hits and three runs. The Royals’ bats were exceptionally quiet all night long, and Omar Infante was the only Kansas City player to reach second base the entire game.
The series now returns to Kansas City, where the Giants will need to win one of two games to win their third World Series in the last five seasons. For the cardiac Royals, they will have a chance to win their first title since 1985 in front of the raucous Kauffman Stadium crowd, a right they earned thanks to the American League’s victory in this year’s All-Star game.
The first pitch of Game 6 is scheduled for 8:07 on Tuesday night, with a Game 7 lined up for the same time on Wednesday. The Giants will send Jake Peavy (1-1, 3.68 ERA in the postseason) to the mound against the Royals’ Yordano Ventura (0-0, 4.42 ERA in the playoffs).
