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Royals try to take commanding World Series lead in San Francisco

Oct 25, 2014 - 2:25 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Kansas City Royals came to San Francisco with one goal in mind: get the series back to Kauffman Stadium.

Mission accomplished.

Now the Royals will take the field on Saturday with a World Series lead for the first time in team history when they play Game 4 of the Fall Classic against the Giants at AT&T Park.

Kansas City grabbed the advantage in the best-of-seven set with a win on Friday, as Kelvin Herrera, Brandon Finnegan, Wade Davis and Greg Holland combined to throw four no-hit innings of relief in a 3-2 win.

Run-scoring hits from Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer in the sixth inning provided the visitors with a 3-0 lead, and the Royals held on after the Giants broke through with two runs against Jeremy Guthrie in the home sixth.

Holland closed the door by retiring the side in order to give Kansas City a 2-1 lead, while regaining homefield advantage for the visitors, who are now guaranteed at least one more game in their ballpark.

"I don't know if there's a better bullpen, because that seventh, eighth and ninth inning, and you get a tough go when you're facing those guys," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Guthrie (1-0) allowed four hits, while Giants starter Tim Hudson (0-1) was charged with four hits and three runs over 5 2/3 innings.

"It's a tough one to swallow," Hudson said. "They just did the little things to beat us."

Now the Giants will turn to righty Ryan Vogelsong, who has been as good as any pitcher in the postseason in recent history.

Well, except for the last time he pitched.

Vogelsong only lasted three innings of his NLCS start against the St. Louis Cardinals and was roughed up to the tune of four runs and seven hits. Still, the Giants were able to get a win in that one and Vogelsong remained a perfect 3-0 in six postseason starts, but did see his ERA spike to 2.16.

He had been the only starting pitcher in MLB history to allow one run or fewer in each of his first five career postseason starts (since 1903). The Giants have won all six of his postseason starts.

"It's definitely a situation where you have to be locked into the game and your thoughts need to be on the game," said Vogelsong. "I think the experience factor is just knowing how to deal with the emotions, slowing the game down like you do every game. Each game brings its own emotions. The big thing is just knowing how to curb them."

The 37-year-old hurler, though, hasn't actually won since beating Milwaukee back on Aug. 29.

There was a thought that the Giants would go with Madison Bumgarner on short rest on Saturday instead of Vogelsong.

"It's our confidence in the guy we have going tomorrow," Bochy said of staying with Vogelsong. "We're keeping things in order because of how well all our starters have thrown."

Kansas City, meanwhile, will try to move to the brink of a title behind left- hander Jason Vargas, who has been terrific this postseason for the Royals. Vargas pitched KC into the World Series with a win over Baltimore in the ALCS, as he allowed just a run and two hits in 5 1/3 innings.

He had given up two runs and three hits in six innings of his ALDS start versus the Angels.

It's been quite a turnaround for Vargas, who gave up 18 runs over his final four regular season starts and lost five of his six decisions.

"He was a guy that was consistent for us all year," manager Ned Yost said. "Struggled a little bit his last three or four starts in September, but, again, a lot of that was mechanical, and he's made the adjustment."

The team that has won Game 3 in a World Series that started 1-1 has won four of the last five and 11 of the last 13 Series.

However, the team leading 2-1 is just 42-42 in Game 4.

This is the ninth time San Francisco has been down 2-1. In those instances, San Francisco has won Game 4 four times, including four of the last five occurrences, and they have gone on to win the series just once (1921 vs. NYY)

Kansas City has never been ahead 2-1 in a World Series.

These teams actually met in the regular season, as the Royals completed a three-game sweep at Kauffman Stadium.