Game 6: @Royals 10, Giants 0 — Jake Peavy was on a very short leash, but it still proved too much rope.
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Six pitchers younger than Yordano Ventura (23.147) have started Game 6. All but one of those teams lost, the exception being Dizzy Dean’s little brother (“me & Paul will win ’em all”) — the only one to go the distance, adding the game-winning hit in the 7th. On the other hand, Josh Beckett was about two weeks older when he closed the 2003 Series with a shutout.
Ventura is the 10th World Series starter to log 7+ scoreless innings with more walks than strikeouts, and the third since 1956. David Cone (’99) and Ron Darling (’86) both went seven. The others went the route (and all of these guys won) except Freddie Fitzsimmons (’41), pulled by Leo Durocher after seven for relief ace Hugh Casey, who couldn’t hold it.
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When the first scoring hit scooted over first base and past Brandon Belt’s dive, did you notice a loud silence about left-handed first baseman? At every chance in this Series, Harold Reynolds has pointed out plays where a lefty down there has an edge. But on the Moustakas double, a right-hander holding a runner would have had a good chance at an out — maybe even the out at home plate. And on Escobar’s confounding infield hit in the same inning, a righty at first would have had a bit better angle, to either make the tag or flip backwards to Panik. I’m not starting an argument, just aiming at “fair and balanced.”
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A chopper over short goes for two bases: Eric Hosmer, channeling Billy Hamilton.
Who was that guy who said KC’s October signature is the ribby double? Five of those tonight tied the Series record, shared by the 2007 Red Sox (Game 1, 13-1), 1925 Pirates (Game 7, 9-7) and 1906 White Sox (Game 5, 8-6; who ya callin’ Hitless Wonders?). The Royals are the first to get theirs from five different batters: Moustakas, Hosmer, Butler, Cain and Escobar.
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So Hunter Strickland does throw a breaking ball. Not that it helped. His 6 homers allowed in 8.1 postseason innings would qualify as the second-worst case of gopheritis
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The last Game 6 team shutout to force Game 7: 1979, John Candelaria (6 IP, 6 singles) and Kent Tekulve (retiring 9 of 10, after a big Game 4 blow-up).
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By now, everyone knows that home teams have won the last nine Game 7’s, eight of those after taking Game 6. But talk about arbitrary endpoints: Right before that stretch, homies went 3-13 in Game 7. Over all, home teams are 19-17 in winner-take-all games — a hair worse than this year’s regular-season home win percentage (.530), which was one of the lowest in the last 40 years.
And don’t expect momentum from the blowout. Nine prior teams won Game 6 by five runs or more to force Game 7:
- 2001 Diamondbacks, 15-2
- 1987 Twins, 11-5
- 1982 Cardinals, 13-1
- 1972 Reds, 8-1
- 1968 Tigers, 13-1
- 1964 Yankees, 8-3
- 1960 Yankees, 12-0 (biggest WS whitewash)
- 1931 Athletics, 8-1
- 1926 Cardinals, 10-2
Those teams went 5-4 in Game 7 (losses by the Reds, both Yanks and the A’s). Game 6 winners at home for the finale went 3-1, but those on the road went 2-3. The average margin in those Game 7’s was 1.8 runs, none above three.
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Despite taking his second loss this Series, Jake Peavy could become the sixth pitcher ever to start for World Series champs in different leagues:
- Don Gullett started the Series openers for the 1975-76 Reds and the ’77 Yankees. (He also started Game 1 of all three LCS.)
- Danny Jackson started twice for the ’85 Royals, and once for the ’90 Reds.
- Bert Blyleven started once for the ’79 Pirates (also had a long-relief win), and twice for the ’87 Twins.
- Curt Schilling, whose postseason brilliance should seal his Hall of Fame case eventually, started three games for the 2001 Diamondbacks (earning MVP honors), and once in the ’04 BoSox sweep.
- Josh Beckett started twice for the 2003 Marlins, including the clinching shutout (the last one before Bumgarner), and kicked off the ’07 BoSox sweep, capping his 4-0 postseason.
Peavy would be the first in that group without a win. His teams have lost all three of his WS starts.
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Confession: I’m a sucker for the Mo’ne Davis commercial. By the time she gets to, “I throw seventy miles per hour. That’s throwing like a girl!,” I usually have goosebumps. My three big sisters all played baseball with me (among other sports), and I long to see a woman reach the majors. I might not live that long, but I won’t stop hoping for signs of progress.
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