Spirited Royals exit World Series

— -- KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The baseball fantasy camp that plops down once every three decades in Kansas City officially ended late Wednesday night, and it ended quietly -- with a Salvador Perez foul pop that settled into Pablo Sandoval's glove, Charlie Hayes-style, before the San Francisco Giants third baseman toppled to his back in a combination of exhaustion and disbelief.

The Kansas City Royals' dream died 90 feet from home plate in the person of left fielder Alex Gordon, whose evening ended with a disconsolate walk from the third-base bag to the first-base dugout rather than a frantic sprint home with the tying run.

And then, magically, something poignant materialized out of nowhere. As the San Francisco players celebrated in the infield and a few Royals fans ducked down the exits following the team's 3-2 loss, a chant gradually spread through the stands at Kauffman Stadium.