World Series 2014: Madison Bumgarner leads the San Francisco Giants to third series win in five years after narrow 3-2 victory

Giants defeat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 in a thrilling MLB World Series that went right down to the wire

San Francisco Giants celebrate winning the 2014 Major League Baseball World Series (Getty Images)

The San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday behind a stunning performance by Madison Bumgarner to win their third World Series title in five Major League Baseball seasons.

With the win, the Giants completed a 4-3 series win over the Royals in the best-of-seven championship, adding a third title to their brilliant every-other-year pattern of post-season success dating back to 2010.

Michael Morse drove in a pair of runs and ace Bumgarner, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the World Series, came out of the bullpen to carry the Giants to victory with five innings of scoreless relief for his third win of the championship round.

"I was just thinking about getting outs until I couldn't get them anymore," said Bumgarner. "Fortunately I was able to get some quick innings and I was able to stay in there.

"Right now I'm not tired at all. We just won the World Series it's hard to be tired right now."

Bumgarner pitches the ball during the Game 7 victory over Kansas City Royals (Getty Images)

A raucous Kauffman Stadium and history were in the Kansas City corner ahead of the game as the home team had won the last nine World Series that went to a Game Seven, including the 1985 Royals.

But the Giants, who were hammered 10-0 Tuesday's Game Six, bounced back to become the first road team to win a World Series Game Seven since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.

San Francisco drew first blood, loading the bases in the top of the second and pushing across a pair of runs on sacrifice flies from Morse and Brandon Crawford.

The Royals answered back in the bottom of second, Billy Butler hammering a leadoff single and racing home on Alex Gordon's line drive double to the wall in right-centre.

With the capacity crowd on their feet Omar Infante kept the celebrations going with a sacrifice fly to cash in Gordon and tie the contest at 2-2.

A single by Alcides Escobar marked the end of a short night's work for Giants starter Tim Hudson.

Hudson, at 39 the oldest pitcher to start a World Series Game Seven, lasted surrendering two runs on three hits in 1-2/3 innings before manager Bruce Bochy made the call to the bullpen for Jeremy Affeldt.

Kansas City Royals players look on dejected after their World Series defeat (Getty Images)

The San Francisco bats were buzzing again in the fourth with Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence leading off with singles before Morse drove in his second run of the night on broken bat line drive to right field.

With Bumgarner on the hill the one run cushion is all the Giants would need to clinch the crown.

The Royals, however, threatened in the bottom of the ninth with two outs when Alex Gordon lined a shot into centre and reached third base on a two-base error by Gregor Blanco.

Madison Bumgarner picks up the World Series MVP award (Getty Images)

But Bumgarner would not be denied, getting Salvador Perez to pop out to third baseman Pablo Sandoval in foul territory for the final out.

"He kept telling me 'I'm ready to go,' he said just put me in anytime and it couldn't have worked out better," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said about Bumgarner.

"The plan was to use Jeremy (Affeldt) early and hope we get to the fifth inning and a horse was out there and we rode him and it's historic what this kid has done.

"Really truly amazing."

Reuters