Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Max Scherzer warms up during a workout at Comerica Park in Detroit, Friday, Oct. 26, 2012. The Tigers host the San Francisco Giants in Game 3 of baseball’s World Series on Saturday. The Giants lead the best-of-seven series 2-0. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya )
DETROIT, Michigan – Detroit will try to snap a five-game San Francisco playoff win streak on Saturday in game three of the World Series with the Tigers facing the brink of elimination with another defeat.
The Giants won the first two games in Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final at home but the scene now shifts to chilly Detroit, where Anibal Sanchez will take the mound for the Tigers in critical game three.
“I know we’re down two games, but that’s in the past,” the Venezuelan hurler said. “Every day we start over. We need to forget what happened in San Francisco.
“I know we’ve got the talent. We’ve got a pretty good team, so we’re going to fight it to the end. We’ve got a long way to go, so we’ve got to keep working. I’m going to focus on getting a win.”
Tigers manager Jim Leyland wants his team to soak in every bit of the tension and pressure, and embrace the opportunity they still have to win the first World Series by a Tigers team since 1984.
“There’s enough pressure on guys and … you have to try to get it across to your guys to embrace the pressure,” Leyland said. “It’s my old favorite story. If you studied for the test and there’s the test, it’s good pressure. If you haven’t studied for the test, it’s bad pressure.
“I just want my guys to be able to embrace this moment. And it’s still competitive. We’re not just happy because we’re here.”
Leyland has confidence Sanchez can answer the call.
“He has pitched pretty well against the Giants in the past,” Leyland said. “I expect him to pitch a good game. The key is we’re going to have to get some runs on the board, obviously, but I think Sanchez will be fine.”
Sanchez knows all the work of a six-month season and dreams of the team’s first World Series crown in 28 years will be riding on his efforts.
“I don’t feel too much pressure about it,” he said. “I think tomorrow everybody is going to be relaxed. We know we are home. We play really good here. We’re going to keep doing the same.”
Detroit’s batters need to respond as well after the Giants delivered a 2-0 shutout in game two.
“We need to make some runs,” Sanchez said. “I know the hitters hit down but tomorrow is going to be a different story.”
Tiger sluggers know they need to wake up before it’s too late.
“You’ve got to give credit to their pitching the first two games,” said Detroit’s Austin Jackson. “We’ve got a good lineup. We’ve been swinging the bats, just haven’t really got anything to fall for us, haven’t been able to get that big hit when we needed it.”
After being stifled by southpaws so far, the Tigers will face right-hander Ryan Vogelsong in game three.
“Our backs are against the wall, so we have to win,” Detroit’s Alex Avila said. “It’s a one game at a time, and it’ll be a nice change obviously to face a right-hander because we’ve had more success, but either way, we’re still going to have to beat one of those lefties eventually.”
Giants starters and relievers have not surrendered the mistakes that Tiger hitters can turn into base runners and runs.
“Right now their pitchers haven’t made many mistakes. Hitters hit mistakes, that’s the bottom line,” Avila said. “When you have opportunities with the guys on base, you’ve got to be able to take advantage of them.
“To this point in two games we haven’t. That’s really it. There’s nothing more to it. There’s no magical scheme that you can just flick a switch or change something, and all of a sudden you score nine runs. It’s just a matter of having good at bats when you have those opportunities.”