San Francisco, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Tim Hudson's first pitch in a World Series game was hit to the wall. It led to the first run of Game 3, as Kansas City grabbed an early 1-0 lead over the San Francisco Giants.
Hudson, a career 214-game winner, was rudely greeted when Alcides Escobar clubbed a 91 mph high fastball off the base of the wall in left field for a double. Escobar advanced on Alex Gordon's groundout to first, then scored on Lorenzo Cain's bouncer to shortstop.
Jeremy Guthrie, also making his first World Series appearance, has shut down the Giants through three innings by allowing just two singles.
The 39-year-old Hudson, the second-oldest pitcher to make his World Series debut as a starter, worked out of trouble in the second inning. Mike Moustakas singled and Omar Infante walked with nobody out. Left fielder Travis Ishikawa made a diving catch off a line drive hit by Salvador Perez. Jarrod Dyson then grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
Hunter Pence legged out an infield hit when Escobar's high throw pulled Eric Hosmer off first base in the home second. Pence was thrown out trying to steal second. After Brandon Belt singled to center, Guthrie got out of the inning when Cain made a diving grab of a ball hit by Ishikawa to right field.
Hudson retired the side in order in the third, and was assisted by rookie Joe Panik, who made a sliding stop of a grounder hit by Escobar.
The Giants, though, were unable to break through against Guthrie, who had a 1-2-3 bottom of the third.
The Royals evened the best-of-seven series with a 7-2 victory Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
The Giants, who are trying to become the second NL team to win three World Series in a five-year span (Cardinals - 1942, 1944, 1946), have gone just 1-9 in 10 World Series that have been tied after two games. The team's only title in such a scenario was in 1905 when the New York Giants beat the Philadelphia Athletics in five games.
