Game 7 starters Jeremy Guthrie and Tim Hudson last a combined 5 innings
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With the key relievers of the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants all rested and available for Game 7 of the World Series, it was widely anticipated that the bullpens would figure prominently.
And they did. Really prominently.
Game 7 starting pitchers Jeremy Guthrie and Tim Hudson combined to pitch just five innings in the Giants’ series-clinching 3-2 victory Wednesday night. The 15 outs tied the mark of fewest outs by Game 7 starters and meant the teams’ bullpens – including that guy Madison Bumgarner – had to combine for 13 innings.
Though he got a no-decision, Hudson was the first pitcher to exit. After the Giants’ offense gave him a two-run lead in the top of the second, the 39-year-old and oldest pitcher to start a Game 7 of the World Series didn’t make it through the bottom half of the frame.
Royals designated hitter Billy Butler led off the inning with a single. Then left fielder Alex Gordon doubled him home. After Gordon, Hudson’s next pitch hit Salvador Perez in the knee.
The events got the San Francisco bullpen stirring and while Hudson got the next two batters to fly out, Gordon scored to tie the game. Following shortstop Alcides Escobar’s single, Hudson was out of the game and Jeremy Affeldt was in. Hudson’s final line was 1.2 innings, three hits, two runs, a walk and a strikeout.
The short stint meant Hudson became another trivia answer too. His start was the shortest outing from a Game 7 starter since 1960. But thanks to the stellar relief outings from Affeldt and Bumgarner, who combined for 7.1 shutout innings, Hudson was able to celebrate his first World Series title.
Guthrie’s trouble in the second came when he loaded the bases with no one out. Guthrie led off the inning by hitting third baseman Pedro Sandoval and gave up singles to right fielder Hunter Pence and first baseman Brandon Belt. Guthrie got the next three batters in order, but two sacrifice flies scored Sandoval and Pence.
After striking out two batters in the third, Guthrie gave up singles to Sandoval and Pence to lead off the fourth and was pulled for Kelvin Herrera after he got Belt to fly out.
“It’s very different,” Guthrie said of the mindset of Game 7. “I’m a pitcher that often gives up a number of base runners and my focus tonight was to try to do what I was able to do in Game 3 which was keep people off base and keep them from scoring early. It didn’t work out that way. They got a couple of big hits there in the second inning and sac flies to score those runs.”
Sandoval was on third when Herrera entered the game and scored after Mike Morse, the first batter Herrera faced, dropped a broken bat single into right field on an 0-2 pitch.
Herrera said the target was set outside.
“Outside, and I leave it in the middle and broken bat base hit,” Herrera said.
Guthrie finished with 3.1 innings, four hits, three runs and three strikeouts.
Herrera (2.2 innings), Wade Davis (2 innings) and Greg Holland (1 inning) gave up four hits in 5.2 innings of work and struck out nine batters. However, Sandoval’s run turned out to be the winning margin after the Royals’ offense couldn’t crack the Giants.
While Bumgarner, the World Series MVP, is rightfully hailed for his five shutout innings in relief of Affeldt, Affeldt’s 2.1 innings were critical in bridging the Giants from Hudson to Bumgarner. And added to his stellar World Series statistics. In four World Series (one with the Colorado Rockies and three with the Giants), Affeldt has given up just one run in 11.2 innings.
“But Affeldt, this guy he’s like Bumgarner or Pablo in postseason. He’s incredible on what he did. We talked to Jeremy about his role today. These guys are so unselfish. They don’t care. They’ll pitch anytime. He was all in on how we were going to use him and pretty amazing numbers that he has throughout this postseason. because of him, he’s played a critical role in these three championships.”
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!