Friday October 26th, 2012

Kyle Holland:  What can you say about game 2 in the World Series? Fantastic, amazing, and a thriller. This pitcher’s duel was surely one no baseball fan will forget.

Both pitchers, Madison Bumgarner and Doug Fister, certainly will remember last night’s game forever. Bumgarner pitched 7 scoreless innings allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 8 on only 86 pitches. Fister on the other side was also magnificent, throwing 6 innings allowing 4 hits and 1 walk, while striking out 3 on 114 pitches, but allowing 1 earned run in the process. Fister did indeed end up picking up the loss. Baseball can be very cruel sometimes.

Although low scoring, the game was everything but disappointing. The 2-0 win by the Giants is exactly what baseball fans were looking for after the 8-3 blow out in game 1.

The thrill started in the second inning after Prince Fielder was hit by a pitch. Delmon Young then smoked a double to left field that took a funny hop off of the wall. Gregor Blanco overthrew Crawford, but Scutaro was backing him up. Scutaro came up throwing, a bullseye none the less, and nailed Fielder at the plate but half of a second on a beautiful tag by Posey. The Giants ended up loading the bases in the bottom half of the inning, which included a scary line drive off of Fister’s head, but nothing would end up coming of it. Fortunately he stayed in the game.

Not much else would happen in the game until the seventh inning. Hunter Pence led off the inning with a single, which proved to be the end of Fister’s night. Drew Smyly, now on for the Tigers, walked Brandon Belt after Belt would work a full count. Gregor Blanco then laid down a teriffic bunt with first and second occupied. The ball off the bat seemed to be going foul, but as it rolled down the third base line, still untouched. It stayed fair.

Now, with the bases loaded and no outs, Brandon Crawford bounced into a double play, but the Giants accepted the outs as Brandon Belt came across to score the only run they would end up needing.

In the eighth, Angel Pagan began the inning with a walk. After Scutaro struck out looking, and Pagan stole second, the Tigers intentionally walked Pablo Sandoval to bring up the NL batting champion Buster Posey.

The Tigers relieved Smyly with Octavio Dotel, finishing his day with 1.1 innings pitched, 1 hit and 1 walk allowed on 2 K’s and 33 pitches. Dotel walked Posey, the first batter he faced, to bring up Hunter Pence with bases loaded, 1 out. Pence would hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Pagan and advance Sandoval to third to extend the lead to 2-0.

This would be more than enough as Giants closer, Sergio Romo, shut down the Tigers in order in the top of the ninth, finishing it with a fly out to Belt at first.

The key player in this game for the Giants was by far Madison Bumgarner. Game 4 in the 2010 World Series was his breakout performance when he pitched eight scoreless innings to give the Giants a 3-1 lead in that series. That game was what put Bumgarner on the map, and he reassured people last night that he’s here to stay.

Bumgarner’s opponent was the Tigers key player last night. Although he picked up the loss, you couldn’t ask for a better game from Doug Fister. He only allowed 4 singles, no extra base hits, during his 6 innings. Plus, he didn’t even get fazed from what could have been a serious injury. In the second inning, Blanco hit a shot off of Fister’s noggin. It seemed to hit just above the temple and Fister just shook it off like nothing happened. In fact, he didn’t even go down. And people say that baseball players are not tough!

In the series, the Tigers are in some serious trouble. Game 3, the Giants have their NLCS stud Ryan Vogelsong on the hill. He’s been pitching lights out this postseason. The Tigers won’t be able to touch him the way their bats are right now. Game 4 we will see Matt Cain on the hill for the Giants. Same deal. With the stuff he has, Cain will be a tough opponent for the Tigers, even in Comerica Park. Game 3 is no doubt a must win game if the Tigers hope to have a chance at coming back and giving themselves a chance at a World Series championship.

Game 2 stats:

Win: M. Bumgarner (1-0)
Loss: D. Fister (0-1)
Save: S. Romo (1)
Home runs: None

(*The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com*)

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