A five-run outburst that nearly sparked a melee powered Kansas City over the San Francisco Giants 7-2 on Wednesday as the Royals pulled level in the 110th World Series.
By breaking open an even game in the sixth inning, the Royals deadlocked Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final at 1-1 as the scene shifts to San Francisco for Game 3 through Game 5 today, tomorrow and Sunday.
A two-run double by Salvador Perez followed by a two-run homer from Omar Infante off Giants pitcher Hunter Strickland in the sixth inning had the intense rookie hurler yelling at Perez as players from both teams walked out of the dugout, poised in case a confrontation broke out.
Photo: AFP
“I think it was just frustration on his part,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s an intense kid and it got away from him a little bit. He’s a competitor. That’s one area where he’s going to have to learn to keep his poise. It’s an area he has to work on.”
Cooler heads prevailed as Giants catcher Buster Posey helped calm Strickland, while Perez, who waited at home plate to congratulate Venezuelan compatriot Infante on his first career playoff homer after 145 at-bats, shrugged off Strickland’s angry screams and walked away.
“I don’t know what happened with that guy, but that’s the last thing. We don’t want a fight on the field. I’m not that kind of player,” Perez said.
Infante’s blast over the left-field fence ended the second-longest active major league playoff homer drought 44 at-bats shy of St Louis outfielder Jon Jay’s current futility mark.
Strickland, a 26-year-old right-handed pitcher promoted from the developmental ranks last month, surrendered his fifth homer of the playoffs, matching Milwaukee’s Chris Narvesson in 2011 for the most by any reliever in a single playoff campaign.
“I don’t see any issues from this point on,” Bochy said.
“I just had to calm Strickland down. It’s a big stage. A lot of emotions are going to be shown in these games,” he said. “The kid was frustrated, but he will be back out there.”
After dropping the opener 7-1, the Royals knew a Game 2 home triumph was vital. Teams losing the first two games have lost the World Series 42 of 53 times, including nine in a row and 15 of the past 16 such situations.
The Giants are seeking their third championship in five seasons after having snapped a 56-year drought in 2010, while the Royals are in the playoffs for the first time since winning their only World Series crown in 1985.
Kansas City chased Giants starting pitcher Jake Peavy and three relievers from the mound in the sixth.
Lorenzo Cain opened the onslaught with a single, took second on a walk to Eric Hosmer and scored on Billy Butler’s single to left field off reliever Jean Machi, setting the stage for Perez and Infante’s fireworks.
Royals relievers Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland kept the Giants off the scoreboard over the final four innings.
Peavy, who helped Boston win last year’s World Series crown, started against Yordano Ventura, the first rookie to start for the Royals in a World Series game at any position.
The 23-year-old Dominican right-hander was the first rookie starting pitcher in a World Series game since Japan’s Daisuke Matsuzaka for Boston in 2007, but the Kansas City Royals had won 12 of his previous 14 starts.
Gregor Blanco opened with a homer for the Giants, the first to open a Series game since 2007.
Butler answered with a run-scoring single in the first and Alcides Escobar’s doubled in a run in the second, before the Giants equalized in the fourth inning on a Brandon Belt double that scored Infante from second.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care