|
 Billy Butler snapped a 2-2 tie with a run-scoring single in the
sixth inning and the Royals added four more before the frame was
over to break open a tight game and restore joy to their home fans
in Kauffman Stadium.
"We needed to get something going," Butler told reporters after
finishing with two hits and two RBIs. "I felt like definitely it was
a must-win for us."
"We had a couple big hits and the floodgates opened. It's big to get
the series back even going back to their place."
After being thumped 7-1 in the series opener on Tuesday, Kansas City
tied the best-of-seven series at 1-1 with Game Three set for Friday
in San Francisco.
With the series shifting to the home of the National League
champions for the next three games, Wednesday's win was crucial to a
Royals team coming off their first loss of the postseason after
storming to the World Series with an 8-0 record.
San Francisco, vying for their third World Series title in five
years, had it all their way in Game One behind ace left-hander
Madison Bumgarner, who stymied a Kansas City franchise competing in
their first postseason in 29 years.
The Royals turned it around in Game Two as Kansas City battered the
vaunted Giants bullpen, while their own trio of shut-down relievers
slammed the door on any comeback hopes.
Giants starter Jake Peavy entered the night with the experience edge
over the 23-year-old Yordano Ventura but Peavy was charged with four
runs and chased in the sixth when San Francisco used five pitchers.
Salvador Perez delivered a two-run double during the rally, and Omar
Infante blasted a back-breaking two-run home run that left the
Giants fuming.
ANGRY STRICKLAND
The homer came against San Francisco's Hunter Strickland, who has
allowed five in the playoffs. As Perez crossed home plate,
Strickland shouted in his direction and the two exchanged words as
both dugouts emptied before the umpires intervened.
"When I got close to home plate he said 'get out of here,'" Perez
said. "I said, 'why are you (shouting) at me?'
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Strickland said he was just angry at himself.
"I don't know if he thought I was yelling at him or not. I wasn't
yelling at him, I was just frustrated with myself," the Giants
reliever said.
Perez did not think it was a big deal. "He started to get mad, so...
forget about it."
The sixth was an inning San Francisco would like to forget.
"That was a tough inning for us," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy.
"(Strickland) is a really intense kid. That's probably an area where
he is going to have to keep his poise."
A dreadful night for the Giants bullpen turned worse when pitcher
Tim Lincecum was forced to leave with an injury during the eighth
inning.
Kansas City kept their cool throughout even as Ventura, firing
100-mph fastballs, yielded a lead-off home run to Gregor Blanco to
start the game.
Butler tied the game with a single in the bottom of the first and
the Royals took a 2-1 lead in the second on a double by Alcides
Escobar.
Brandon Belt forced another tie for San Francisco with a run-scoring
double in the fourth before the Royals took command in the pivotal
sixth.
(Additional reporting by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by
Sudipto Ganguly)
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