George bracket: Royals (09) defeat Royals (69) in seven games

Game One: 69 Royals 6, 09 Royals 1
WP: Bunker (1-0)
LP: Greinke (0-1)
Save: Drabowsky (1)
HR: Fiore (1), Adair (1)

Game Two: 09 Royals 4, 69 Royals 1
WP: Tejada (1-0)
LP: Drago (0-1)
Save: Soria (1)
HR: Kelly (1)

Game Three: 09 Royals 8, 69 Royals 7 (16 innings)
WP: Tejada (2-0)
LP: Wickersham (0-1)
HR: Hernandez (1), Butler 09 (1), B. Oliver 2 (2), Fiore (2)

Game Four: 69 Royals 3, 09 Royals 2
WP: Butler 69 (1-0)
LP: Hochevar (0-1)
Save: Hedlund (1)
HR: Gordon (1)

Game Five: 69 Royals 6, 09 Royals 5
WP: Bunker (2-0)
LP: Greinke (0-2)
Save: Wickersham (1)
HR: Callaspo 2 (2)

Game Six: 09 Royals 7, 69 Royals 4
WP: B.Bannister (1-0)
LP: Drago (0-2)
Save: Soria (2)
HR: DeJesus (1)

Game Seven: 09 Royals 9, 69 Royals 3
WP: Tejada (3-0)
LP: Rooker (0-1)

The 1969 Kansas City Royals beat 2009 Cy Young winner Zach Greinke twice, but still lost the series due in large part to a leaky bullpen.

Mike Fiore hit a three-run homer off Greinke in the fourth inning of Game One, and Wally Bunker didn't allow a run until the seventh. Moe Drabowsky got out of the jam Bunker left behind and finished for a save while his teammates added three more runs against Juan Cruz.

Brian Bannister and Dick Drago dueled in Game Two, Pat Kelly homered off Bannister to open the game, but the righty shut out the 69 Royals for six innings after that, while David DeJesus scored runs in the sixth and eight to give the 09 Royals the win. Robinson Tejada threw two scoreless innings for the win, and Yuniesky Betancourt singled in two runs in the ninth to widen the margin.

The series shifted to Kauffman Stadium for Game Three, and it was a doozy. Fiore and Bob Oliver homered to give Roger Nelson a 3-0 lead after four innings. Nelson's own error resulted in a run in the fifth, but the 69 Royals added three more runs for a 6-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. Nelson allowed a single and a walk to Betancourt and DeJesus, whereupon Tom Burgmeier relieved. The lefty allowed three singles and the score was 6-4 for the 69 team.

After a scoreless eighth, Drabowsky entered for the save, but Mike Jacobs singled and Billy Butler homered for the tie. Drabowsky followed the ninth inning with four scoreless frames, but they were matched by Joakim Soria and Tejada. Jim Rooker threw two scoreless innings, and in the top of the 16th Oliver hit his second homer of the game, this one off Tejada, who was in his fifth inning of work himself.

Dave Wickersham got the call for the bottom of the 16th, but he got only one out. Butler tripled, Mark Teahen singled for the tie, Willie Bloomquist singled and after the 69 Royals failed to turn a double play, Betancourt singled for the game winner.

The 69 Royals recovered to win Game Four as Bill Butler -- no relation to the 09's first baseman -- allowed four hits in eight innings. (Billy Butler went 1-for-3 against the lefty, the hit an RBI double in the first inning.)

The 69 Royals retook the series lead as they pummeled Greinke for six runs on 13 hits in 6 1-3 innings. Bunker wasn't as effective as in Game One, but Burgmeier and Wickersham managed to hang on to the lead for three innings, although there were two on when Wickersham got the final out.

The series returned to Memorial Stadium and 1969 for Game Six, and the 09 team enjoyed the blast from the past, They shelled Drago for six runs in five innings while Bannister held the home team scoreless for six innings. John Bale and Jamey Wright got the lead to Soria and the series was tied.

Game Seven's final score was deceptive. The 69 Royals held a 3-1 lead through seven innings. with Nelson holding the visitors to just four hits in six innings before leaving for a pinch hitter. But the 09 scored six runs on just three hits in the eighth against Rooker and Hedlund -- there were also three walks and a hit batter -- and two more in the ninth. Tejada, who relieved Gil Meche in the seventh, got the win, his third of the series.

Player of the series: Several hitters had outstanding series -- Mike Fiore, for example, was 11 for 26 with eight RBIs and seven runs -- but in a debatable decision it goes to Tejada, whose eight innings of one-run relief over three outings stands in marked contrast to the ineffective relief work of the 69 team.

Player availability: DeJesus is injured through Game Two of the second round if he is left on the active list. Bannister and Meche may not start until at least Game Three. Greinke can start Game One on full rest.

Projected rotation: Greinke-undecided-Bannister-Greinke-(Meche)-(undecided)-(Greinke).