The 2014 World Series ended the same way it began – with Madison Bumgarner on the mound. And in the end, it resulted in another championship for the San Francisco Giants.
Bumgarner didn’t start in the game, but by the end of the night, he was the guy getting all of the attention. After two wins in the series, Bumgarner came on in relief to pitch an incredible five innings. On a night when no other pitcher in the game lasted more than 3 1/3 innings, the Giants ace was the one who pitched like a starter. Ironically, pitching on short rest, he was the one guy not expected to be a workhorse.
Not only did Bumgarner pitch five innings, he did so in dominant fashion. He didn’t allow a run, giving up only two hits while striking out four batters. Despite pitching on Sunday, Bumgarner still managed to toss 68 pitches in a high-pressure situation. Deservedly so, he got the win (his third in the series) and set a postseason record for most innings pitched in the process.
Simply put, what he accomplished in this year’s playoffs was an amazing feat.
The game didn’t end without some drama, however. With two outs in the ninth inning, Alex Gordon hit a shot into the gap where the ball was misplayed and subsequently bobbled. It was ruled a single and error as Gordon ended up on third base as the tying run. Bumgarner, though, forced Salvador Perez to pop up in foul territory to Pablo Sandoval to end the game.
Neither starting pitcher managed to go deep into the game. San Francisco starter Tim Hudson lasted only 1 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits. The Royals’ Jeremy Guthrie pitched only three innings, giving up three runs. Each bullpen was solid and didn’t give up a run the rest of the way.
One thing lost in all of the Bumgarner talk was the effort by Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt. Affeldt, a former Royals pitcher, came on in relief and pitched 2 1/3 innings following Hudson’s brief effort and gave up only a single hit. Bumgarner was (and should be) the focus, but Affeldt had a key role in getting the Giants settled down after the Royals tied the game.
Also lost in the aftermath was a strong defensive effort by the Giants. San Francisco made several key plays defensively to stop the Royals from gaining any real traction in the game.
Offensively, San Francisco again got a big night from the middle of their order. Sandoval, Hunter Pence, and Brandon Belt not only led the way, but practically accounted for most of the team’s production. The trio didn’t drive in any runs, but they had seven of the team’s eight hits on the night. Michael Morse drove in a pair of runs in the fourth to give the Giants the 3-2 lead that stood up for the rest of the game.
The Giants weren’t necessarily thought of as a dynasty coming into this season. With three titles in five seasons, however, that should change.
