You get the feeling the Tigers are never going to get a big hit in this World Series.
They loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but rookie Quintin Berry struck out swinging at a letter-high fastball. Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, a .416 career hitter with the bases loaded, got jammed by Ryan Vogelsong and popped out to shortstop.
Excellent clutch pitching by Vogelsong, who really hit his spots. He stayed up and away against Berry and went inside on Cabrera’s hands.
Giants players raised their arms in the dugout. Starting to taste it, perhaps.
Detroit is 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position tonight and 1 for 11 in the Series.
Perhaps the biggest mistake Vogelsong made came on a 3-1 fastball right down the middle to Austin Jackson with two on. Jackson swung through it, but walked moments later.
___
Angel Pagan put a charge into his fifth-inning drive but Austin Jackson ran it down in deep center. A lot of room out there in spacious Comerica Park.
Wonder if that ball might have had a chance to go out on a warmer night.
Jackson nearly dropped it, but hung onto the ball with the heel of his glove.
___
Couple other interesting stats:
Anibal Sanchez had faced 95 straight right-handed batters without issuing a walk before Hunter Pence’s four-pitch free pass to start the second inning, according to STATS LLC.
Detroit grounded into a pair of inning-ending double plays during the first three innings tonight. The Tigers led the majors in that category this season, grounding into 156 twin killings.
___
The Tigers didn’t trail in the ALCS. They haven’t led during the World Series.
The Giants, on the other hand, haven’t trailed in their last 49 innings going back to the start of Game 5 in the NLCS against St. Louis.
San Francisco leads 2-0 in the top of the fifth at Comerica Park.
___
Another squandered opportunity for the Tigers, who just can’t manage to get a big hit.
After consecutive singles put runners at first and second in the third inning, speedy rookie Quintin Berry grounded into an inning-ending double on the first pitch.
Especially tough to swallow with Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder due up next.
Giants lead 2-0 after three innings.
___
Another squandered opportunity for the Tigers, who just can’t manage to get a big hit.
After consecutive singles put runners at first and second in the third inning, speedy rookie Quintin Berry grounded into an inning-ending double on the first pitch.
Especially tough to swallow with Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder due up next.
Giants lead 2-0 after three innings.
___
Pablo Sandoval decided sometime long ago that he was going to swing at the first pitch of his second at-bat.
Anibal Sanchez’s delivery was way inside and it bounced _ and Sandoval still swung and missed. Sandoval swung at a couple more pitches that were in the dirt before grounding out.
Buster Posey fouled out on a 3-0 pitch and Sanchez, who looks much better than he did in the second inning, worked a perfect third. Marco Scutaro began the inning by getting called out on strikes.
___
Anibal Sanchez back to mound for third inning. He headed straight toward the clubhouse after the top of the second and Rick Porcello was warming in the bullpen for Detroit.
___
Here they go again. The Giants are taking advantage of every opportunity.
Hunter Pence drew a four-pitch walk from Sanchez to start the second inning. Pence stole second as Brandon Belt struck out and went to third on a wild pitch _ a high fastball that tailed way off target and glanced off catcher Alex Avila’s mitt.
With the count full, Gregor Blanco drove an off-speed pitch off the base of the wall in cavernous right-center for an easy triple that put San Francisco ahead.
The Giants are 8-1 when scoring first this postseason.
With two outs, Brandon Crawford lined an RBI single that fell just in front of speedy center fielder Austin Jackson.
In that situation _ two outs, a runner on third and the No. 9 hitter at the plate _ Jackson needs to be playing shallow enough that hardly anything can drop in front of him. A ball that gets over his head equals the same amount of runs as a ball that falls in front of him.
___
Sanchez is suddenly all over the place and the crowd is awfully quiet at Comerica Park, which was rocking during the ALCS sweep of the Yankees.
Several Giants players are bundled up on the bench but pitcher Ryan Vogelsong didn’t even have a jacket on.
___
Once again, Prince Fielder fails to come through for the Tigers.
With two runners on in the bottom of the first inning, the meaty slugger grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Giants first baseman Brandon Belt made a nice pick of a wide and low throw from shortstop Brandon Crawford, barely keeping his foot on the bag it appeared.
Fielder is 0 for 5 with runners on base in the World Series. He began the night hitting just .205 with a homer and three RBIs this postseason.
Game 3 is scoreless heading to the second inning. Both starters appear to be throwing pretty well.
___
Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera and Giants catcher Buster Posey are the winners of the 2012 Hank Aaron Award, given to the top offensive player in each league.
The award was created in 1999 and this is the first time that the two recipients are facing each other in the World Series.
Cabrera and Posey received their awards before Game 3 in a ceremony attended by Aaron and Commissioner Bud Selig.
In addition to that news conference, Selig and Hall of Fame slugger Frank Robinson, a Triple Crown winner in 1966, presented Cabrera with the Triple Crown Award.
___
The World Series has shifted to Detroit, and we’re ready to go for Game 3.
It might be a little difficult to tear yourself away from all this entertaining college football on TV, but there’s a big baseball game on tap.
The San Francisco Giants can take a commanding 3-0 lead with a win tonight at chilly Comerica Park, where the temperature is in the mid-40s and the Tigers have been tough to beat all season.
Detroit went 50-31 at home this year and 4-0 during the AL playoffs.
Zooey Deschanel just sang the national anthem and we’re a few minutes from first pitch.
Ryan Vogelsong pitches for the Giants. He was 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three playoff starts, including a pair of impressive wins during the NL championship series against St. Louis. A late bloomer, Vogelsong bounced around the globe before blossoming into an All-Star in San Francisco.
Anibal Sanchez, acquired from Miami in July, is on the mound for Detroit.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.