San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Madison Bumgarner continued a brilliant
stretch of starting pitching for the San Francisco Giants during Game 2 of the
World Series, twirling seven shutout innings in a 2-0 squeaker over the
Detroit Tigers that brought the National League champions within two wins of
their second title in three years.
Making his first start since Oct. 14 after being briefly dropped from the
rotation due to two rough postseason outings, Bumgarner (1-0) struck out eight
batters while yielding a mere two hits and two walks in a splendid 86-pitch
effort.
Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo finished off the two-hit shutout with a
scoreless inning each as San Francisco registered its fifth consecutive win of
this postseason, including an 8-3 triumph over the Tigers in Wednesday's Game
1 behind a three-homer effort from Pablo Sandoval.
Hunter Pence and Gregor Blanco were the offensive stars of a pitching-
dominated Game 2, with the former scoring the go-ahead run in the bottom of
the seventh inning and adding a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Blanco went 2-
for-3 with a key bunt single that advanced Pence to third with the game still
scoreless in the seventh.
Bumgarner outdueled Doug Fister (0-1), with the Detroit starter receiving a
hard-luck defeat despite permitting just four hits and a walk over six-plus
frames, but enabling the game's first run to reach base by issuing a leadoff
single to Pence in the bottom of the seventh.
The Giants have allowed only four runs during their current surge, with the
starting staff of Bumgarner, Game 1 winner Barry Zito, Ryan Vogelsong and Matt
Cain combining for a miniscule 0.55 earned run average over that span.
Following an off day, the series shifts to Detroit for Saturday's Game 3. The
Tigers will turn to Anibal Sanchez in hopes of bouncing back, with Vogelsong
slated to take the mound for the Giants.
The Sports Network