Detroit Tigers 2012 postseason review – MLB Featured – Part 6
San Francisco Giants dominated the Detroit Tigers in almost every department in first two games of the World Series. Tigers’ Manager Jim Leyland wanted his team to show their fighting skills to stay alive in the series.
With home conditions working in their favour, the Tigers had an excellent chance to bounce back in Game 3 but the Giants were too hot to handle. Giants’ pitching rotation, once again, played a big part in deciding the outcome of the clash, shutting out the
Tigers 2-0 for the second time in the series.
Giants’ starter Ryan Vogelsong displayed some top quality hitting skills as he pitched five plus scoreless innings to lay the foundation of an impressive victory. Striking-out batters at regular intervals, he created all sorts of problems for Detroit’s batting
line-up.
Relief pitchers Tim Lincecum and Sergio Romo combined to toss up three plus scoreless innings to help San Francisco shut-out the Tigers.
Vogelsong’s counterpart from the Tigers, Anibal Sanchez also had a decent time on the mound as he allowed six hits and two runs in seven solid innings. Striking-out eight batters, he kept the Tigers in the contest for most part of the game but the night
belonged to the Giants, who showed nerves of steel to claim a 3-0 series lead.
Left fielder Gregor Blanco tripled to deep right centre in the second inning to put Giants on the board. Shortstop Brandon Crawford added a single to centre to double Tigers’ lead to 2-0.
"I was just trying to make a pitch," Vogelsong said. "And the way we're playing defense, really just trying to get him to put a ball in play somewhere because I had a good feeling we were going to catch it if he did."
"Well, you don't really have to tell them anything. They can count," Leyland said.
Having lost to the Giants in first three games of the series, the Tigers needed to play their A game to stay alive. Starting pitcher Max Scherzer had a great time on the mound as he gave up just seven hits and three runs in six plus innings to put his side
in a strong position. Relief pitchers Drew Smyly and Octavio Dotel also pitched with great control and accuracy to force the game into the extra inning.
For the Giants’, starter Matt Cain gave up just three runs on five hits in seven innings. Relief pitchers Sergio Romo pitched the perfect tenth to make his third save of the post-season.
Tigers’ closer Phil Coke was unable to control his nerves under pressure and the Giants scored the tie breaking run in the tenth inning to complete deserving series sweep.
"When pitching is your strength, you want a good defense," manager Bruce Bochy said. "That shows up every day. ... Hitting sometimes, it comes and goes. But as long as you can stay in more games, the better chance you have of winning them, and that's how
we play."
Giants opened the score with a triple to deep right in the second inning. Miguel Cabrera and Delmon Young smacked home-runs in the third and the sixth to level the score 3-3 but their effort was not enough to stop the Giants from securing their second World
Series title in three years.
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