Giants steamroll the Royals

Giants players celebrate their victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

Giants players celebrate their victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

Published Oct 26, 2014

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San Francisco – The San Francisco Giants piled up runs relentlessly in a 11-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday to level the 110th World Series at two games apiece.

With the win, the Giants gained some much-needed breathing room, ensuring that Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven championship showcase will return to Kansas City for game six on Tuesday.

Before then, the Giants will have a chance to regain the Series lead at home when they host game five on Sunday.

The Royals, back in the post-season for the first time since they won their only World Series crown in 1985, had won two games straight to put the Giants under pressure.

But the Giants, seeking their third title in five years after snapping a 56-year title drought in 2010 and winning again in 2012, insisted there was no reason to panic.

They showed no sign of doing so as they remorselessly pounded out 16 hits – 13 of them singles.

Third baseman Pablo Sandoval knocked in the go-ahead runs with single in the sixth inning, and the Giants added three more runs in the sixth and four in the seventh.

Joe Panik hit two of their three doubles, driving in two runs. Hunter Pence had a double among his three hits for three runs-batted-in.

Gregor Blanco singled twice and scored three times.

The Giants set the tone by scratching out a run in the first inning. Royals starting pitcher Jason Vargas walked Gregor Blanco to open the game. Blanco took second base on a wild pitch, stole third and scored when Hunter Pence beat a throw to first to break up a double-play bid.

Kansas City struck back in the third with a four-run rally featuring run-scoring singles from Omar Infante and Salvador Perez.

The outburst ended the night for Giants starting pitcher Ryan Vogelsong, who departed after 2 2/3 innings having given up four runs on seven hits.

But the Giants chipped away, pulling back a run in the bottom of the third and knotting the score at 4-4 with two runs in the fifth.

On Sunday, the Giants will send game-one winning pitcher Madison Bumgarner to the mound against the Royals, who give the ball to ace James Shields. – Sapa-AFP

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