5 things about the World Series ahead of Game 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A five-run, sixth-inning rally led the Kansas City Royals to a 7-2 victory over the Giants on Wednesday in Game 2 of the World Series, offsetting San Francisco’s 7-1 win in the opener.

Here are five things we know about the World Series as it switches to San Francisco for Game 3 on Friday:

— 5. Billy Butler has the most seniority among the Kansas City players, and he is stepping up in the clutch. The designated hitter went 2-for-3 Wednesday, driving in two runs, including the go-ahead score in the sixth. He likely will be out of the starting lineup in San Francisco because of the National League rules that do not include the designated hitter. However, manager Ned Yost said Butler could still play a key role.

“Having a guy like Billy on the bench is extremely valuable late in the game,” he said. You don’t have to start the game to win the game.”

— 4. The Giants’ bullpen, especially the middle relief, suddenly looks vulnerable. San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy ran through five pitchers in the decisive sixth inning. Right-hander Tim Lincecum later left the game due to lower-back tightness, though Bochy said the long reliever should recover quickly.

“I think we’re great,” said reliever Jeremy Affeldt, who stopped the damage by inducing a double play to end the sixth. “I think you can have situations like that (inning) that happen. Good teams can do that to a bullpen. But I think it got out of hand, and that does happen. I think our bullpen throws a lot of strikes, and we are going up against a team that’s aggressive. We just didn’t make good pitches.

— 3. Giants right-hander Tim Hudson is scheduled to start Game 3, and Bochy is confident he is over his late-season struggles. Hudson went 0-5 in September with an 8.72 ERA.

“I don’t know if it was fatigue as much as he was dealing with a nagging hip,” Bochy said. “It’s hard enough to play this game when you’re healthy, but when you’re pitching and your hip’s bothering you…

“He’s a warrior. He was never complaining. He was never making excuses, but it was a fact.”

Hudson pitched well in a National League Division Series start against the Washington Nationals, then had a mediocre outing in an NL Championship Series start against the St. Louis Cardinals. He will be facing a Kansas City lineup that won eight consecutive games entering the World Series, then got back on track Wednesday with seven runs on 10 hits.

— 2. Kansas City’s bullpen is in good shape, especially the back end. Yost didn’t have to use right-handers Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland in Game 1. The trio combined for 3 2/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief in Game 2. Herrera threw 1 2/3 innings Wednesday, with a long gap between the sixth and seventh while the Royals were breaking the game open. Yost then got Davis and Holland into the game for an inning each.

“(The layoff) didn’t affect them,” Yost said of his dynamic trio. “It helped them. It gave them some extra days. Kel came in in the sixth inning throwing fastballs up to 101 miles an hour.”

— 1. The Royals have life. Forty-two of 53 teams to take a 2-0 World Series lead won the Series. Only the 1985 Royals and the 1986 New York Mets won the World Series after losing the first two games at home. However, a 1-1 tie means it is anybody’s Series to win. The Royals, who finished five games better on the road (47-34) than at home (42-39), are feeling good going to San Francisco.

“I felt like (Game 2) was definitely a must-win for us,” Butler said. “Granted, going down 0-2, we see what happened with us in the Baltimore series. The home team carries a lot of momentum back to their home park. We stepped up big there as a team, and that gave us some confidence in that clubhouse.”