KANSAS CITY – Twenty four hours after winning game one of the World Series with one swing in the first inning, Hunter Pence, was on the field before game two, celebrating his series altering blast with teammate Gregor Blanco as the two salsa danced together before the game. Pence may have given Blanco some good luck during their samba as Blanco led off the game with a home run to left field.
Hunter Pence silenced the crowd in game one of the Fall Classic when he sent a baseball flying through Kauffman stadium and over the center-field fence to give the Giants a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The monster blast, which ironically landed in front of a sign held by a Royals fan that read: “Hunter Pence thinks we’re in Kansas?” turned out to be all the runs San Francisco would need as Madison Bumgarner shut down Kansas City and the giants went on to rout the Royals 7-1.
The monster home run may turn out to change the series as not only did it surprise and shock the entire city of Kansas City, it electrified Pence who has been struggling offensively for the better part of two months, including the post-season. If Pence’s bat has awoken, then the Royals are in trouble. With 2010 and 2012 World Series MVPS, Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval’s bats on fire at the moment, any offense Pence can add is icing on the cake for San Francisco and dangerous for the Royals.
In the ALDS and ALCS, the Royals only trailed a total of two innings against the Angels and Orioles. Thanks to Pence, they trailed for the entirety of game one, and for the first inning of game two. More importantly, Pence’s home run came off Royals ace, James “Big Game” Shields, who Pence was 0-11 against before the at-bat. Pence and the Giants will most likely see Shields again in game five, and Pence will now have the confidence to hit him again.
“Anybody who thinks Hunter Pence hasn’t helped us win eight games to get here is sadly mistaken,” said game two starter, Jake Peavy. “This guy helps merely by showing up and being Hunter Pence, by the teammate he is to these guys, by the defensive plays that he’s made. He got a huge, two-strike, two-out hit off John Lackey in game 3 of the NLCS. He’s been a big part of this.”
Pence’s blast helped steal home field advantage away from the Royals as the series moves back to San Francisco where the Giants have been virtually unbeatable this post season. They won three straight to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, and if they do it again, Pence will have helped the Giants capture their third World Series in 5 years, now that’s something to salsa about!
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
