[SSW]

Game 3 Play by Play:

Nuts! Hudson doesn't look that good coming out of the blocks.

Gives up a double in top of the 1st on the 1st pitch fastball up to Escobar, who hit it into the left field corner (looked like it was going out of the park) and then advances to 3rd and scores on 2grounders. In fact, the entire side grounds out, which is what happens when Hudson is pitching well.

Guthrie looks better than Hudson gets 3 up/down in bottom of the 1st on just 9 pitches. Cain robs Posey of a single w/a great catch. Royals up 1-0.

Hudson throwing a lot of pitches and still doesn't look sharp. Gives up a single to Moustakas and a walk to Infante. 2 on and no outs in the top of the 2nd. Perez hits a liner to left and Ishikawa prevents a double on a great catch. Hooray! Dyson hits into a double play. The loss of the DH and Yost's defensive moves helped to avert a 2nd inning disaster for Hudson.

Guthrie not looking as sharp in bottom of the 2nd. 3-2 count to both Pablo and Pence. Pablo flies out. Pence runs out a single but gets thrown out trying to steal 2nd. Belt singles and Ishikawa hits a liner to right that Cain catches to prevent a double and a run scored. Yost's decision to put Cain in RF the difference maker in that inning. Royals still lead 1-0.

Pitchers settle down in the 3rd. Both get 3 up/3 down. Hudson gets 1st K.
Hudson looks like he finally found his groove. 3 up/3 down in top of 4th; gets 2nd K.

Panik/Posey/Pablo up in the bottom of the 4th. Running out of innings to take the lead. Need to do something NOW! Guthrie still pitching too well. 3 up and 3 down for him again. Royals still lead 1-0.

Hudson gets 3 up and 3 down again in top of 5th. 5 full innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits, 1 BB and 2 Ks. He's retired 11 in a row.

The Giants are getting the wood on the ball, but the balls are going straight to fielders. Pence and Belt hit hard hit liners to infielders and Ishikawa grounds out. Another 3 up/3 down inning for Guthrie, who has now retired 10 straight.

Game is turning into a pitcher's duel. Would be a shame for Hudson to get the loss in his 1st and possibly only appearance in the WS because of just 1 pitching mistake. Royals still lead 1-0.

Oh no! Hudson gives up a single and a double to score another run for the Royals. Leaves the game w/1 on 2nd w/2 out. Hudson gave up fewer runs than he did against the Nationals in the NLCS but didn't get the same run support because Guthrie is pitching so well.

Lopez coming in to get last out; Lincecum warming up. Lopez gives up a single to Hosmer (who battled off 10 pitches) to score another run (charged to Hudson) before getting a K to end the inning. Royals lead 3-0.

NOT looking good for SF. Giants have to score in the bottom of the 3rd or Yost will bring in Herrera, Davis and Holland to close out the game.

Finally, Guthrie gets in trouble in bottom of the 6th. Single to Crawford and double to Morse to score a run. Guthrie leaves the game w/no outs, Morse on 2nd; gave up only 1 run on 4 hits w/no BBs or Ks.

Herrera coming in w/his 100+ heaters but he walks Blanco on just 4 pitches. 2 on and no outs. Panik advances the runners to 2nd & 3rd on a infield grounder. Morse scores on Posey's grounder (run charged to Guthrie) and Pablo grounds out to end the inning. NOT enough. Royals lead 3-2.

Bochy goes w/Romo instead of Lincecum in top of 7th. Strikes out 1st batter but gives up a single to Dyson after getting another out. That brings Herrera up to bat -- Yost doesn't want to take him out. Herrera has NEVER swung the bat in the majors OR minors. Of course, he strikes out and NOW he knows how it feels to be on the other end of the pitches. LOL!!!

Time's running out. Herrera doesn't usually go more than 1 inning. He's already pitched one full inning. Gave up 2 walks in 2nd inning that he pitched in Game 2 to bail out Ventura but he was able to shut down the Giants w/o a score. Let's see what happens now.

Herrera walks Pence and strikes out Belt but gets pulled for a lefty to pitch to Ishikawa; threw 27 pitches but seldom throws more than 30 in a game. That's the weakness of the "3 headed monster." If you can make them work, they get tired out BUT the Giants haven't had the chance to really do that yet this series. Finnegan coming in for Herrera. 1 on and 1 out.

Managerial move. Bochy pinch hits Perez (righty) for Ishikawa vs Finnegan. Perez flies out. 1 on 2 out. Affeldt warming up. Crawford strikes out. KC's bullpen advantage at work. Royals still lead 3-2.

Romo still pitching in top of the 8th. Stikes out Escobar. Affeldt comes in and Arias subs for Crawford at SS. Affeldt gets fly out and grounder.

Davis pitcing for Royals in bottom of the 8th. Arias strikes out. Blanco tries to bunt his way on but Perez throws him out and Panik strikes out. Davis does his job as the #2 game closer. Holland should come in to close out the bottom of the 9th to face the middle of the order -- Posey, Pablo and Pence.

Affeldt stays in to pitch in the top of the 9th and gets the 1st 2 outs -- a fly out and grounder. Casilla comes in to get a K to close out the inning. Here comes the bottom of the 9th. Do or die for the Giants.

Giants are dead! Holland gets 3 up/3 down. Royals win 3-2 and lead the series 2-1. Overall a very well played game by both sides. The difference in the game was the pitching. The Royals pitching was better -- Hudson gave up 3 runs charged to him vs Guthrie's 2. The bullpen's were a push both giving up 1 run (each charged to the starters) and then holding the opposition scoreless from the 7th thru the 9th.

Giants MUST win Game 4 to tie the series at 2-2, but w/Vogelsong pitching no guarantee of that. I'd like to see Petit come in to start Game 4 but then Bochy would have no middle relief but w/the series on the line I think it would be worth the risk.