The ultimate dream came true on Monday for Pearl City Shopping Center and MyPearlCity.com owner Duane Kurisu. That dream includes a World Series Championship as an owner of the newly crowned 2010 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants. San Francisco defeated the Texas Rangers at Texas Ballpark in Arlington on Monday to 3-0 behind the pitching of two-time Cy Young Award winner, Tim Lincecum and the power hitting of 2010 World Series MVP Edgar Renteria.
Photo provided by Brandon Kurisu
Duane Kurisu (left) pictured with HWB President, Hervy Kurisu (middle) and Upspring Media President, Brandon Kurisu (right) at AT&T Park in San Francisco during the Giants opening game of the 2010 World Series against the Texas Rangers.
What makes the dream and experience even more incredible is the fact that the Giants have a couple players on the 2010 roster that have a special connection to Kurisu and the Hawaii baseball community. Giants starting catcher Buster Posey and outfielder Nate Shierholtz played for Kurisu a few years ago as members of the Hawaii Winter Baseball League. Kurisu is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for HWB. Older brother Hervy Kurisu serves as the league president.
Hawaii Winter Baseball has offered MLB prospects through the years a chance to come to Hawaii to develop their skills at the single A level. Posey and Shierholtz were sent to HWB as young MLB prospects representing the Giants organization. The combo has proven to be a great investment in the future for the Giants organization, beginning with their World Series Championship win on Monday.
Besides Posey and Shierholtz, many current and past MLB stars have come through the HWB system. hawaiiwinterbaseball.com. Ichiro Suzuki, Jason Giambi, Todd Helton, Josh Bell, A.J. Pierzynskji, Blake DeWitt, Mark Kotsay, Derrek Lee, Gabe Kapler, Joba Chamberlain, Hideki Okajima and Dexter Fowler to name a few.
Photo provided by Brandon Kurisu
Hawaii Winter Baseball alumni and current Giants starting catcher, #28 Buster Posey (left) taking World Series pre-game warm ups with starting pitcher Tim Lincecum (sitting at right) at AT&T Park.
Game five winning pitcher Lincecum recorded 10 strikeouts and allowed just two hits in eight innings for San Francisco. It was the second dual between Lincecum and Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cliff Lee in the series. Lincecum earned the win in game one 11-7. Giants closer Brian Wilson came into the ballgame in the ninth inning to face the middle of the Rangers’ batting order. After retiring Josh Hamilton and Vlad Guerrero, Wilson struck out Nelson Cruz to end the game.
Giant’s shortstop Renteria got San Francisco on the scoreboard with a game winning, seventh inning three run homerun blast into the left field seats off of Texas game five starter Lee. It wasn’t the first time Renteria was a hero in a World Series. In 1997 as a Florida Marlin, he ended the World Series with a game winning RBI single against the Cleveland Indians.
The last time the Giants organization won a World Series title was back in 1954 as the New York Giants. The Giants moved to San Francisco after the 1957 season. Their last appearance in a World Series came in 2002, losing the series 4-3 to the Anaheim Angels.
The Giants won this year's World Series title taking 4 out 5 games against the Rangers.
Congratulations to Duane Kurisu and the San Francisco Giants!
Enjoy Wednesday's World Series Championship Parade!