[SSW]

Game 2 Play by Play:

A hard fought game that featured the grit and determination of each team with lots of managerial manuvering to make it interesting until Bochy makes a bullpen mistake in the bottom of the 6th and the game becomes a blow out for the Royals.

Both pitchers started out shaky. Ventura gave up a HR to the Giants’ lead- off hitter Blanco in the top of the 1st and then settled down to get the rest of the side out. Giants lead 1-0

Peavy gave up a single to KC’s lead off hitter Escobar in the bottom of the 1st who was thrown out trying to steal 2nd; great throw by Posey and catch/tag by Panik. After getting Aoki to fly out, Peavy gave up a double to Cain, walk to Hosmer and single to Butler scoring Cain but was then able to get Gordon to foul out. Game tied 1-1.

In the top of the 2nd, Ventura got 2 quick outs and then gave up a single to Morse who was forced out at 2nd on a grounder by Ishikawa.

However, in the bottom of the 2nd, Peavy again got into trouble. Peavy gets Perez to line out but then gives up a double to Infante. He then gets Moustakas to fly out but gives up a double to Escobar which scores Infante. Aoki lines out to end the inning. Royals lead 2-1.

Panik got a single in the top of the 3rd after Crawford and Blanco ground out but was stranded on 1st when Posey grounded out too. Peavy got his 1st 3 up and 3 down inning in the bottom of the 3rd.

Ventura gets in trouble in the top of the 4th. Gives up doubles to Sandoval and Belt to score 1. Belt gets picked off on 2nd, when he gets confused by a a poor throw and muffed catch after a fly out by Morse, which ends a potential go ahead rally for the Giants. Score tied 2-2.

Peavy seemed to gain more control after the 3rd and gets his 2nd 3 up and 3 down inning in the bottom of the 4th.

Ventura gives up a single to Ishikawa in the top of the 5th who gets forced out on a grounder by Crawford who is stranded on 1st after Ventura gets the next 2 batters out.

Peavy getts his third 3 up and 3 down inning in the bottom of the 5th.

Ventura gets in trouble again in the top of the 6th. His day is done after giving up a single to Posey who leads off the inning and another single to Pence after getting Pablo to ground out.

Herrera, the 1st of the Royals' 3 game closers, takes over. He's consistently throwing 100+ mph heat. Belt is able to get wood on the ball but flies out and then Morse grounds out. Inning saved for the Royals by Herrera.

Peavy also gets into trouble again in the bottom of the 6th, which ends his day, after he walks Cain and gives up a single to Hosmer. Machi comes in and gives up a single to Butler which scores Cain. Lopez comes in to pitch to Gordon who flies out.

Then STRICKLAND comes in to the game to pitch to the next 2 right hand hitters -- Perez and Infante. I don't trust Strickland to even throw to right hand hitters and my concern is proven to be justified.

Stickland throws a wild pitch to move up Hosmer and Gore running for Butler to 2nd and 3rd. Then Strickland gives up a double to Perez that scores Hosmer and Gore. Then Strickland gives up a HR to Infante that scores 2 more.

Strickland loses his cool and starts yelling at Perez at homeplate, who's waiting for Infante, for no apparent reason which causes players to come out from the dugout but there's no fight. Strickland said he was yelling at himself. Perez apparently thought Stickland was yelling at him and then they actually got into a yelling match at each other. Basically a misunderstanding fueled by hot tempers and emotion.

Bochy FINALLY pulls Stickland and puts in Affeldt, who immediately gives up a single to Moustakas but then gets Escobar to hit into a double play, which finally ends a BIG inning for the Royals and a miserable one for the Giants -- largely due to the pitching mistakes of STRICKLAND. Royals lead 7-2.

Strickland has now given up 8 runs (only 6 of which belong to him) on 5 HRs in the post-season this year. I've said it before and I say it again, I don't know what Bochy sees in Strickland and I really hope that we do NOT see him on the mound again in this World Series!!!!

Herrera stays in the top of the 7th -- probably a little longer than he's use to pitching -- and gets into a little trouble by giving up 2 walks but is able to get out of the inning w/o letting the Giants score. Opportunity squandered by the Giants.

Bottom of the 7th, Bochy brings in LINCECUM who hasn't pitched a ball in the entire post-season to date. Timmy actually looks pretty good. Gets a fly out, ground out and strike out. 3 up and 3 down. Good for Timmy!!!

Davis, the 2nd of Royals 3 "closers", comes in to throw a shutout in the top of the 8th.

Lincecum stays in for the bottom of the 8th and gets a strikeout and a foul out and then has an 0-2 count on Perez when he reportedly hurts his back and throws 2 balls and is taken out of the game. Casilla comes in to finish off Perez by getting him to strike out. Weird.

Will have to find out what's wrong w/Lincecum later. If he's not hurt seriously, he gives Bochy an option from the bullpen that he didn't have before and which he can use instead of Machi or Stickland if he needs a short relief right hand pitcher. However, it's not clear yet whether that will be an option or not

Holland, the 3rd of the Royals' 3 closers, comes in to finish the game. He strikes out the side after giving up a bloop single to Crawford. Game over. Royals win 7-2.

Peavy threw a pretty good game and held it a tie until the 6th, when he got in trouble and the bullpen couldn't get him out of it. Both Machi and Strickland are the weakest links in the Giants bullpen and although 2 of the runs were charged to Peavy, their inability to keep the Royals from scoring the 5 runs in the bottom of the 6th was the reason the Giants lost the game.

This game shows how important pitching is to keep the Royals' bats under control and also shows how dangerous the Royals hitters are if you don't.
The game also showcased the Royals' 3 game closers -- Herrera, Davis and Holland -- and showed how they can shut down the game after the 6th if the Royals have a lead.

Fact is, all the Royals needed is the run that Machi gave up to go ahead 3-2, because the Giants didn't score again after HDH came into the game. So, the 4 runs that Strickland gave up really didn't matter, but that doesn't change my opinion of him. He needs to be benched for the duration of the series and used ONLY if absolutely necessary.

So, that makes it a blow out win for each team. Each team as taken the measure of the other and it looks like it's going to be a real dog fight of a series.

Game 3 in SF at 5pm Pacific Time on Friday.