KC Royals: Ten Most Dominant Starts In Royals Playoff History

Oct 28, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher

throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning during game six of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

10. 2014 World Series, Game 6

Yordano Ventura:  7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 5 BB, 4 K

Game Score: 70

Game Result: Royals 10, Giants 0

Our series starts with a game that should be familiar to most current Kansas City Royals fans: Yordano Ventura’s Game 6 gem against the San Francisco Giants in the 2014 World Series.

The stakes could not have been much higher. The KC Royals trailed the Giants three games to two in the 2014 World Series. Yordano Ventura needed a strong start to help his team survive to see a Game 7.

KC Kingdom

He succeeded.

The then 23-year-old Yordano Ventura shut out the Giants over seven innings, as the Kansas City Royals stomped San Francisco 10-0 to tie the 2014 World Series at three games apiece. Ventura wrote “O.T. #18” on his cap to honor fellow Dominican Republic player Oscar Taveras, who died in a car accident on the home island two days before Ventura’s Game 6 start on October 28.

The St. Louis Cardinals outfielder would have been proud. Yordano Ventura announced himself as one of the coming young pitching talents in the game, despite struggling with his command to surrender five walks.

Yordano Ventura had put the Cinderella Royals in position to win their first World Series in 29 years.

Though the Kansas City Royals lost Game 7  in a 3-2 heartbreaker at home, it wasn’t due to any failure by Yordano Ventura. Ventura finished his two 2014 World Series starts with a 1-0 record and 1.46 ERA.

While Ventura did not repeat his 2014 World Series dominance in 2015 playoffs, his Game 6 start showed that he can perform under pressure.

Next: 1978 American League Championship Series, Game 4