Nightengale: Butler ignites Royals offense in Game 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Billy Butler doesn't know if he'll be back in Kansas City next year, let alone next week, but he did everything in his power Wednesday night to assure this Royals team will never be forgotten.

Butler led the Royals to their first World Series victory in nearly three decades, 7-2, over the San Francisco Giants, and letting everyone know they plan on sticking around awhile in this Series.

Butler became the first Royals' player to provide the tying and go-ahead run in the same postseason game since a Hall of Famer by the name of George Brett, in the 1985 American League Championship Series.

It was that kind of night for the big fella.

Butler, who'll be a free agent once the World Series ends, ignited the Royals' offense, took a curtain call after his go-ahead single in the wild sixth inning, and then played peace-maker after Giants rookie pitcher Hunter Strickland's meltdown.

Hey, all in a good day's work, with this World Series getting awfully interesting, tied at 1-game apiece, and a benches-clearing incident to liven things up.

It all happened in the sixth inning, after Butler's go-ahead single off Giants reliever Jean Machi.

The Giants emptied their bullpen with four relievers, and by the time the smoke cleared, the Royals blew the game open with five runs, including Omar Infante's first homer in 145 career postseason at-bats. It was the second-longest drought in major league history.

It also inflamed some old-fashioned hostilities, with Strickland screaming at Royals catcher Salvador Perez, who was waiting for Infante at the plate.

Suddenly, everyone started screaming at everyone, with Perez getting out of Infante's way to let him touch the plate, and then resuming is argument with Strickland.

The benches emptied, and peace was restored, with Butler coming out onto the field to make sure there was no further commotion.

Who knows what the repercussions will be, but it could be the last time we see Strickland in this Series. The kid has faced 23 batters this postseason, and he's coughed up five home runs.

He actually has given up more homers in this postseason than he did all year in the major leagues and minors.

No matter, the hot tempers weren't going to spoil the Royals' first World Series victory since 1985, and Butler's glory.

Butler, who has been with the Royals' organization for 10 years, would love the chance to even bat again. He has been the DH the first two games, and with the series shifting to San Francisco, he may be sitting until Game 6 when a DH is employed again in Kansas City.

If there is no Game 6, Butler vows that his final game at Kauffman Stadium will be forever remembered.

'There's been a lot more tough times than there's been good,'' Butler said, 'but his is a great experience. To see us come and to see this process go from the beginning, to where we are now, it's incredible.

'I don't think that has anything to do with the contract situation, but just being here and being able to experience it with these guys that I've played my whole career with, it's an incredible honor.''

Butler made sure the experience will last even longer, with a whole lot of help from his buddies.

Certainly, the Royals proved they aren't going away, showcasing their stellar bullpen for the Giants to witness.

T he Giants were able to drive rookie starter Yordano Ventura out of the game after just 5 1/3 innings -- with Ventura recording only one swing-and-miss strike on the 63 fastballs he threw.

Yet, once the Royals turned to their bullpen, the Giants were done.

The Giants had runners on first and second with one out in the sixth inning when Royals manager Ned Yost turned to Kelvin Herrera. He got the Giant's attention in a hurry. His first pitch was clocked at 101 mph. He threw nine pitches. Eight were clocked at 100 or 101 mph.

You guessed it, the Giants went down, with Brandon Belt flying out and Michael Morse's grounding out.

It was the last time the Giants made any noise the rest of the night, with Wade Davis closing out the eighth inning and Greg Holland in the ninth.

Herrera's shut-down outing also seemed to spark the Royals' offense. Giants starter Jake Peavy, pitching like this were 2007 again when he won the Cy Young award with the San Diego Padres, retired 10 consecutive batters.

Certainly, he resembled the guy who went 6-4 with a 2.17 ERA in 12 starts for the Giants after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Boston Red Sox.

If not for Peavy, the Giants would have already been sitting home.

'He's meant everything to us,'' Giants third-base coach Tim Flannery said. 'He helped the culture, and he should helped us on the mound.

'We're not here without him.''

Yet, the Royals finally got to Peavy in the sixth. Lorenzo Cain led off with a bloop single. Eric Hosmer drew a walk. It ended Peavy's night, and for the eighth consecutive postseason start, he failed to last through the sixth inning.

The fireworks were just getting started.

Butler drove in the go-ahead run for a 3-2 Royals' lead. After Javier Lopez retired Alex Gordon on a fly ball, Strickland came into the game to face Perez. He greeted him with a two-run double. Infante followed with a two-run homer.

And the party was just starting with the sell-out crowd of 40,446 at Kauffman Stadium standing and screaming the rest of the night.

We have a World Series now.

It's proving to be a dandy.

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