Gamethread: 2014 World Series Game 5

Due to the coronavirus outbreak suspending the 2020 MLB season, we’re rewatching the three San Francisco Giants postseason runs, game-by-game, on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights at 6 p.m. PT, with a gamethread for each.

The San Francisco Giants put a beatdown on the Kansas City Royals in Game 4 of the World Series, winning 11-4 to tie the series 2-2. It’s now a best of three series, and Game 5 feels a little critical for the Giants, since the final two games are at Kauffman Stadium.

And so the Giants are turning to their postseason star, Madison Bumgarner. The lefty finished the year with an 18-10 record, a 2.98 ERA, a 3.05 FIP, and 219 strikeouts in 217.1 innings. He was an All-Star, won the Silver Slugger, and finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting.

The Royals are countering with James Shields, a right-hander who finished the season with a 14-8 record, a 3.21 ERA, a 3.59 FIP, and 180 strikeouts in 227 innings.

It’s a rematch of Game 1, which the Giants won 7-1. Bumgarner was magnificent in that game, allowing just 3 hits, 1 walk, and 1 earned run, while striking out 5 in 7 innings. Shields struggled, pitching just 3 innings, and allowing 7 hits, 1 walk, and 5 earned runs, while striking out just 1.

We’re starting this rewatch at the same time as all the other ones: 6 p.m. PT. The video is embedded at the bottom of the article, or you can find it at this link, or you can YouTube search “2014 World Series Game 5” and click the first link.

Here’s Ned Yost’s lineup:

1. Alcides Escobar — SS
2. Alex Gordon — LF
3. Lorenzo Cain — RF
4. Eric Hosmer — 1B
5. Salvador Perez — C
6. Mike Moustakas — 3B
7. Omar Infante — 2B
8. Jarrod Dyson — CF
9. James Shields — P

And Bruce Bochy’s crew:

1. Gregor Blanco — CF
2. Joe Panik — 2B
3. Buster Posey — C
4. Pablo Sandoval — 3B
5. Hunter Pence — RF
6. Brandon Belt — 1B
7. Travis Ishikawa — LF
8. Brandon Crawford — SS
9. Madison Bumgarner — P