Now I can finally say that the baseball season can end anytime now. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not something I’m excited about. But after both sides taking two of the first four games, the Giants broke through with Madison Bumgarner on the mound Sunday night to put the Royals on the brink of elimination. San Francisco following KC’s two-game winning streak with two wins of its own gives the Giants two shots in Kansas City to claim their third World Series in five years. They’ll come with two veteran starters in Jake Peavy and Tim Hudson. Peavy gets the first crack up against Yordano Ventura.
Free Pick
In game two, we played the over and cashed fairly early when the Royals exploded for five runs in the sixth inning to break the game open. Neither team got any more runs after that, but the nine total runs were more than enough to cover the 7.0. Entering game six, the number hasn’t changed. And with both starters having thrown yet another game in what’s been a taxing season, and the offenses having gained some familiarity, I think we go right back to the well. 
The only hesitation I have about the Royals scoring runs against Peavy is that Bochy will have an extremely quick hook. With Bumgarner tossing another shutout on Sunday, San Fran’s bullpen is rested and ready to pitch in the last two games of the season. Bochy has had a quick hook with Peavy in each of his last two starts (76 and 66 pitches). And with Yusmeiro Petit ready to bridge any gap from the early-mid innings to Sergio Romo, Bochy won’t wait around. That said, Peavy has been good for at least a couple runs all year and into the playoffs. With KC in a do-or-die situation, expect it to come out aggressive.
Though looking very different while doing it, Yordano Ventura has shown just as much of a propensity to give up a couple each start as Peavy has. Ventura has to be tired. Adrenaline has gotten him through the early innings, but he just can’t sustain the pace he comes out with through five, six, seven innings. The Giants will continue to work him and get into that overworked bullpen (even Herrera and Davis threw 24 pitches each in game five).
When you’re the team up 3-2 in a series, you never want to see a game seven. The Giants’ offense will work hard to assure they don’t. I think each side is good for three runs Tuesday night at The K. This will be my last baseball post of 2014. Thanks for reading along the great ride!
Free Pick: Over 7 (-110)
YTD: 45-28-3 +9.02
kansas city royals • San Francisco Giants