Rookie Yordano Ventura put on his cap with the words “R.I.P. OT #18” written on the front in tribute to his late friend, Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, who died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic Sunday night.
Then the young Royals right hander silenced the Giants with seven innings of three-hit ball on Tuesday night to send the World Series to a seventh game.
The game was not in doubt after the second inning, when the Royals scored seven runs en route to a 10-0 victory.
Before the game, Major League Baseball held a moment of silence to honor Taveras, who was buried in the Dominican earlier in the day.
“From the minute that I found out about Oscar, I said this game was going to be dedicated to him,” Ventura said through an interpreter. “If he was still here, I would for sure be talking to him, and Oscar would be very happy for me and very proud. I’m going to miss him a lot.”
Ventura and Taveras became friends in the minor leagues, sharing Dominican roots and talent that made them two of baseball’s brightest stars.
H/T NY Daily News
