World Series 2014: Last-Minute Preview and Prediction for Game 5

For two teams that rolled through the playoffs in downright effortless fashion, the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants are unsurprisingly locked in a back-and-forth World Series.

After scoring just four total runs in defeats during Games 2 and 3, the Giants bounced back Saturday night, exploding for nine runs in the middle innings to secure an 11-4 victory to tie the Fall Classic at two games apiece.

"We never give up, that's the thing,'' said Pablo Sandoval, who is 6-for-18 with four RBI in four World Series games, via Ronald Blum of The Associated Press. "We've been doing it all year in these situations. We know how that feels."

Now it's the Royals who will have to adopt that mentality. While the series is tied, the presence of Madison Bumgarner in Game 5 likely has Kansas City feeling like it's suddenly staring at a Kilimanjaro-sized hill to climb.

Date: Sunday, October 26, 2014

Time: 8:07 p.m. ET

Stadium: AT&T Park, San Francisco

TV: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Down 7-0 in the bottom of the seventh of Game 1, Salvador Perez hit a solo home run. That's normally an inconsequential moment, but it actually felt like a major accomplishment.

That's how good Bumgarner has been in the playoffs and, most notably, the World Series. After shutting down the Royals in Game 1, San Francisco's ace is now 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA and 0.59 WHIP in three career World Series starts.

And as Fox Sports' Twitter feed noted, he's been having a similar kind of ridiculous success all October:

Fox Sports' Jon Morosi offered immense praise for the 25-year-old, arguing there is no one San Francisco—or any team—would rather have in this moment:

Interestingly enough, five of Bumgarner's six earned runs this postseason have come at home. Perhaps that offers a glimmer of hope for Kansas City, but in all reality, MadBum's fastball and devastating slider, coming from that unique angle, are plenty frightening—especially for left-handed hitters—no matter the stadium.

As such, if the Royals want to keep things close, "Big Game" James Shields is going to have to live up to his nickname more than he has this postseason, where he owns a 7.11 ERA in four starts.

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Despite the struggles, though, manager Ned Yost, via ESPN.com, isn't worried about his ace in the biggest game of the year.

"I know his intensity, I know his work ethic, I know his competitiveness," he said. "I know (Sunday), when he steps on that mound, he's going to be ready both physically and mentally to compete and give us his best effort, and that's all I can ask."

Even if Shields vastly improves on his postseason thus far, there is essentially zero room for error. The Royals have continually found different ways to win when pundits have least expected it, but at this point, you simply can't bet against Bumgarner.

Especially in October.

Prediction: Kansas City 1, San Francisco 4