World Series: Yordano Ventura pays tribute to Oscar Taveras before pitching Kansas City to Game 6 victory over San Francisco

KANSAS City pitcher Yordano Ventura paid tribute to his friend Oscar Taveras, who died in a car crash, before pitching the World Series game of his life.

KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 22: Yordano Ventura #30 of the Kansas City Royals pitches in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants during Game Two of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium on October 22, 2014 in Kansas City, Missouri. Jamie Squire/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

KANSAS City pitcher Yordano Ventura paid tribute to his friend and St. Louis outfielder Oscar Taveras, who died in a car crash on Sunday, before pitching the game of his life in Game 6 of the World Series.

Ventura wrote a tribute to his 23-year-old countryman on his hat - “RIP O.T #18” - and bent down behind the mound to write Taveras’ name in the dirt before his first pitch.

He then proceeded to throw seven superb shutout innings, surrendering only three hits as the Royals thumped San Francisco 10-0 to force a one-game showdown for the World Series crown.

Yordano Ventura pitching with a heavy heart tonight. Hope he goes the distance. #OscarTaveras #KCRoyals #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/WPxBW0AZNG

— Spencer Gleason (@SpencerGleason1) October 29, 2014

Royals Yordano Ventura honors friend Oscar Taveras, who died in car crash Sunday, by putting his initials on hat. pic.twitter.com/vxZ7YVcXDJ

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 29, 2014

.@YordanoVentura pays respect to Oscar Taveras. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/bGBY1xz5BR

— #Game7 (@MLB) October 29, 2014

Taveras and his 18-year-old girlfriend died after his high-powered car ran off the road and hit a tree in the Dominican Republic.

The Royals smacked the Giants for seven runs on eight hits in the second inning and cruised from there to level the best-of-seven final at 3-3 and force a title-deciding matchup on Thursday AEDT.

JOIN OUR LIVE BLOG OF GAME SEVEN ON THURSDAY FROM 11AM AEDT.

Kansas City’s Jeremy Guthrie, the game three winning pitcher, will open against game three loser Tim Hudson in a seventh-game meeting of right-handed starting pitchers.

Ventura, a 23-year-old Dominican rookie right-hander in a must-win situation, silenced the Giants batters, striking out four while walking five as San Francisco never had a runner past second base and only two beyond first, while Kansas City batters blasted 15 hits to keep their title bid alive.

Mike Moustakas hits an RBI double in the second inning against the San Francisco Giants.

The Royals, who ended a 29-year playoff drought and won their first eight post-season games, took their only World Series crown in 1985, rallying to win the final two games at home to defeat St. Louis in seven games.

In eight of the past 10 times a team has returned home trailing the World Series 3-2, as Kansas City did this week, the hosts have won twice to take the title.

The Giants, who seek their eighth overall crown and third title in five seasons, fell to 5-9 in playoff game sixes.

They have led 3-2 in four prior best-of-seven matchups only to lose three times, including the 1924 World Series to the Washington Senators and 2002 World Series to the Anaheim Angels.

Alcides Escobar celebrates with Mike Moustakas after scoring in Kansas City’s monster second inning.

The 1997 Florida Marlins are the only team in 10 tries since 1975 that led a World Series 3-2, lost game six and recovered to win the title.

Not since 1936 had the Giants allowed a playoff foe seven runs in one inning but that’s what Kansas City produced in the second.

Alex Gordon hit a leadoff single, took third on a Salvador Perez single and scored on a Mike Moustakas double down the right-field line.

Norichika Aoki #23 of the Kansas City Royals reacts after hitting an RBI single in the second inning during Game Six of the 2014 World Series

Alcides Escobar reached first on an infield grounder to load the bases and Japanese outfielder Nori Aoki, 0-for-9 to that point in the World Series, singled to left field to drive in Perez for a 2-0 Royals lead and send Giants starting pitcher Jake Peavy, who helped Boston win last year’s title, to the showers.

Lorenzo Cain then lofted a single into shallow centerfield off Giants reliever Yusmeiro Perez to score Moustakas and Escobar, doubling the Kansas City advantage.

Eric Hosmer followed with a double to centerfield to bring in Aoki and Cain, and Hosmer scored on Billy Butler’s double for a 7-0 Royals edge.

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