Well, that wasn’t what we expected last night at AT&T Park. Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander was rocked for five earned in just four innings as the enigmatic Barry Zito outdueled him.
This flew in the face of my prediction prior to Game 1. But I am pretty sure that no one expected Pablo Sandoval to join the ranks of Albert Pujols, Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson by belting three homers.
As it is, both teams have to turn the page from what was a lopsided 8-3 affair. It is important that both Detroit and San Francisco understand it was just one game in a best of seven series. Check out Joey Levitt’s full review of the initial game here.
Onto what is expected to be a much closer Game 2 tonight in San Francisco.
The struggling Madison Bumgarner takes the mound for San Francisco after a 12-day break between starts. He last saw action in the NLCS opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, and it didn’t go well. Bumgarner gave up eight hits and six earned in just 3.2 innings. It appears that there was something wrong with his mechanics during that game as the lanky righty was literally throwing volleyballs up there against St. Louis.
Overall, Bumgarner has given up 15 hits and 10 earned in two postseason starts this year (eight innings). This needs to change if San Francisco is going to go to Detroit with a commanding 2-0 series lead.
With that in mind, the youngster was dominating at AT&T Park during the regular season where he possessed a 10-3 record with a 2.38 ERA, compared to a 6-8, 4.40 split on the road. This has to be the primary reason that Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy made the decision to go with him tonight.
As is the case with most matchups during the early part of this series, there really isn’t a huge sample size as it relates to Bumgarner against Detroit hitters. Prince Fielder has seen him the most, accumulating three hits in seven at bats. Omar Infante, who spent the first-half of the season with the Miami Marlins, is 3-for-9 in his career against Bumgarner. Outside of that, Not much to see here.
Meanwhile, Detroit starter Doug Fister has been more than impressive this postseason. The Tigers have won each of his first two starts as the righty has given up just two earned in 13.1 innings, striking out 13 in the process. Overall, Fister is 2-0 with a 3.26 ERA in five career playoff starts, all in the last two seasons.
Despite recent success, history doesn’t tell a good story as it relates to Fister pitching on the road for the Tigers. He has won just 9 of his 29 road starts since being traded from the Seattle Mariners to Detroit midway through the 2010 season. Definitely not a great sign. Moreover, Fister won just four of his 11 road decisions this year.
Marco Scutaro is the only current Giants player to ever face Fister. The red-hot infielder is just 1-for-11 in his career against the righty.
Prediction
The aforementioned Scutaro and Pablo Sandoval are carrying San Francisco’s offense right now. But is it sustainable? It really needs Buster Posey to start to breakthrough out of the cleanup hole. If not, any slump from either Scutaro or Sandoval could be troublesome for the Giants.
Meanwhile, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder are a combined 20-81 (.247 AVG) thus far this postseason. If Detroit is to have a chance to comeback in this series and win the championship, they simply have to do better... Most notably Fielder.
San Francisco wouldn’t put Bumgarner on the mound if they didn’t feel that he had righted the ship and fixed those mechanical flaws. Therefore, one’ has to believe that Bochy and company have a good idea of what he will bring to the table tonight. If it is anything like he did in the regular season at AT&T, the Giants will be in a good spot.
I am taking San Francisco to win Game 2 and go to Detroit needing to win two of three in order to avoid sending the series back to California. But again I predicted the Tigers to win Game 1 and Verlander to shutdown San Francisco.