Before anyone really realized it, the Kansas City Royals had a runner on second in the first inning of Game 3 of the World Series. That’s because KC’s leadoff batter Alcides Escobar took an unusually aggressive approach by taking a rip at the first pitch of the game and knocking a double. He scored two batters later to give KC a 1-0 lead.
Pitcher Tim Hudson was surprised Escobar swung at the first pitch of the game, while manager Bruce Bochy described it as an ambush.
“I thought he threw the ball well, very well,” Bochy said of Hudson, via the San Jose Mercury News. “The first pitch got away from him. He got ambushed there. But I thought he had great stuff and was keeping the ball down. … He gave us what we were hoping — a chance to win.”
Hudson gave Escobar credit for whacking a double.
“You don’t see batters swing at the first pitch of the game too often,” he said. “But you know what? It’s a pitch in the game that can get hit. It still has to be a decent pitch.
“You have to give (Escobar) credit. He could have popped it up just as easy as he doubled.”
Both points are spot-on. Give Escobar credit for being aggressive, and give him even more credit for lacing a tough pitch up and away.
Escobar explained his approach.
Escobar: "I was being aggressive. I knew he would throw me a FB because the first pitch of the game he doesn't want to throw a slider."
— Scott Miller (@ScottMillerBbl) October 25, 2014
Escobar won’t get another good first pitch this series, but it doesn’t matter. He helped them get a win in a pivotal Game 3 and that could be the difference between winning and losing the series.
And what was up with Hudson’s smile after giving up the double? He was so stunned he didn’t know how to react.
