Giant Pitcher Seals World Series Win in Kansas City

Go ahead, try to copy the San Francisco Giants' blueprint to win World Series championships.

The Giants did it again Wednesday night, capturing their third World Series in the past five years with a 3-2 victory against the Kansas City Royals in a thrilling Game 7 at Kauffman Stadium.

The Giants' cardpath to victory has been a little different each year, but this title was the most unconventional. How do you win a World Series with a one-man starting rotation who moonlights in middle relief in the biggest game of the season?

The Royals brought all of their World Series heroes from 1985 for support, but they were in awe as was everyone else, watching Madison Bumgarner win the title almostsinglehandedly.

If this is a dynasty, Madison Bumgarner is the emperor.

Bumgarner, who has the lowest career ERA in World Series history at 0.25, again took the Giants on his back, carrying them to the title.

He won two of the four World Series games, saved one and threw more innings this postseason than any pitcher in history.

He won Game 1, pitched a shutout in Game 5 and tossed five scoreless innings in Game 7. He was so efficient on two days' rest that he retired six of the first eight batters he faced on four or less pitches and retired 15 of the last 16 batters he faced.

He lowered his ERA in this World Series to 0.43, the lowest since Sandy Koufax in 1965 with the LosAngeles Dodgers.