Before the World Series, I suggested that Madison Bumgarner might be the key to this World Series.

Of course, that was before the Giants raked Justin Verlander in Game 1; now, that looks like the key. But Bumgarner entered his Game 2 start as San Francisco's biggest question mark, having not really pitched well since late August.

Well, we're six innings into Game 2, and Bumgarner's pitching a shutout. He's already recorded eight strikeouts, which he hadn't done in a single game since the 20th of August. He did issue his first walk in the sixth, to Austin Jackson ... who, just a couple of pitches earlier, had lined a foul ball a long way into the stands down the left-field line.

That walk came with two outs. Omar Infante was next, and lined Bumgarner's first two pitches ... but foul. Bumgarner's third pitch was a high fastball, and Infante swung through it to become the eighth strikeout victim and end the inning.