Jake Peavy gets chance to finish World Series

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Jake Peavy has accomplished more in baseball than he could have imagined when he declined a scholarship to Auburn to sign with the San Diego Padres in 1999.

The righthander has won a Cy Young Award, started the All-Star Game, and helped win a championship with the Red Sox last season. Along the way, Peavy has won 139 games and earned more than $100 million.

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But what the 33-year-old has not done is win the deciding game of a World Series. Several friends, Jon Lester and John Lackey among them, know that feeling of accomplishment. But Peavy was only a spectator when the Sox beat the Cardinals in Game 6 last season.

On Tuesday night, he gets that chance. With the Giants up, 3-2, in the series, Peavy will face the Royals' Yordano Ventura.

'I can't imagine anything being any sweeter than that. That's what you play for, to be in the World Series and to win it; to be the guy that gets the ball with that opportunity,' Peavy said Monday.

'It's a special opportunity; I understand that. Just got to do all I can do to be in the moment, to think about executing pitches, to find any way, anyhow for the San Francisco Giants to win this game, and I promise you, I'm going to exhaust every option.'

Peavy started Game 2 and allowed four runs on six hits over five-plus innings. But he was charged with two runs after he left the game. He had retired 10 straight before the Royals put the first two runners on in the sixth, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy went to his bullpen.

Peavy went 6-4 with a 2.17 earned run average in 12 starts for the Giants after being traded by the Red Sox in July.

'We wouldn't be here without him,' Bochy said. 'We lost Matt Cain and we needed some help, and he really stepped up and filled that void. So we don't want Jake to try to do any more than what he normally does, especially since he's been over here with us, because he's thrown the ball very well.'

Peavy purchased the Duck Boat he rode through the streets of Boston in the World Series parade last season. If the Giants win, it seems he's going to get a San Francisco Cable Car.

At least that's what his 10-year-old son Wyatt said.

'I think we already picked out our trolley car,' said Wyatt, who accompanied his father to the interview session.

'Hey, hey, hey,' Peavy said.

Plenty of confidence

Ventura allowed two runs over 5 innings in Game 2. The 23-year-old will be pitching for only the second time in 17 days, but Royals manager Ned Yost sees the series going seven games.

'I think we're going to win. I mean, that's the way I feel,' he said. 'I've got that much confidence in our team. I've got that much confidence in Ventura. I just think we're going to go to Game 7.'

Condolences abound

Before he took any questions, Peavy made a statement about the death of Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras on Sunday. The 22-year-old and his girlfriend, Edilia Arvelo, were killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic.

'I just want to send out our deepest condolences to the Taveras family. That was really hard to hear, and all the jubilation, and the excitement and joy that we were in, that was really tough to hear that news,' Peavy said.

'Devastated, obviously. Didn't know him, but obviously we're a fraternity . . . We are obviously thinking about the St. Louis Cardinals and the Taveras family and our MLB family.'

Said Yost: 'This hurts, this hurts everybody. A kid this young, for something like this to happen, I think we were all shocked when we heard about it, and we're still shocked. Then you look back on your club, and what if this happened to one of your young players on your club? You just know what the Cardinals are going through.'

According to police, the road Taveras was driving on was wet from a recent rain, but the cause of the crash is under investigation. Results from Monday's autopsy weren't available.

Castillo an All-Star

Outfielder Rusney Castillo was selected for the Arizona Fall League All-Star game along with another Red Sox prospect, lefthanded reliever Robby Scott.

Castillo has hit .278 with a .694 OPS in eight games for Surprise. He has not played since Oct. 20 because of a bruised hand.

Scott, a non-drafted free agent signed in 2011, has allowed one run over 7 innings in six appearances for Surprise. He spent the season with Double A Portland and had a 1.96 ERA over 35 games.

The AFL All-Star game is Saturday at Salt River Fields. MLB Network will carry it live at 8 p.m.

Lovullo still in mix

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo had his second interview with the Minnesota Twins, who are seeking a replacement for manager Rob Gardenhire, who was fired Sept. 29.

The Twins also are considering Paul Molitor, a coach on Gardenhire's staff, and Single A manager Doug Mientkiewicz.

Bouncing back

According to Fox, the TV ratings for Game 4 dropped to 6.3, but rebounded to 7.3 for Game 5 on Sunday. The last game drew an average of 12.6 million viewers. The opener had a 7.3 rating, a record low for Game 1 . . . The Giants clinched their last two World Series on the road, at Detroit in 2012 and at Texas in 2010 . . . Bochy is 33-13 in postseason play with the Giants.

Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.

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