Pence's HR might be Series-altering

— -- KANSAS CITY -- Has a World Series ever been won in the first inning of Game 1?

OK, the correct answer is no, even though the 2007 Rockies might not be so sure about that.

But what are we to make of that moment in the first inning Tuesday night, when Hunter Pence sent a baseball flying through the electrified Kansas City night, flying over the center-field fence and finally coming to earth in front of a sign that said, "Hunter Pence thinks we're in Kansas"?

The real payoff was the baseball Hunter Pence fired toward the Kauffman Stadium waterfalls in the first inning. Will this World Series ever be the same? We're about to find out.