World Series 2012: Giants hit, pitch and defend their way to Game 1 win

Forget about losing. The way the San Francisco Giants are rolling, they might not trail again this season. After their 8-3 pummeling of Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night, the Giants have outscored the opposition 28-4 during their four-game postseason winning streak.

The Giants have not trailed since the end of their Game 4 loss in the NLCS and beginning with their four-run fourth inning in Game 5, they have held the lead at the end of 33 consecutive innings.

World Series 2012: Pablo Sandoval went 4-for-4 in Game 1. (AP Photo)

Three Strikes from San Francisco’s Game 1 victory:

1. Giants are clicking

That Verlander threw 98 pitches and lasted only four innings was more than a result of him not being able to command his fastball. The Giants made him work by refusing to swing at pitches outside the strike zone.

The Giants’ three-run third was keyed by long at-bats from Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro, the first two hitters in the order. Both came up with two outs and both worked eight-pitch at-bats. Pagan got a break—yes, the Giants are getting their share—when he grounded a ball that hit the third-base bag and rolled into left field for a double.

Scutaro followed by showing why he was the toughest hitter in the majors to strike out this season. After working the count full, he managed to foul off two 98-mph fastballs and then singled sharply up the middle to score Pagan. Verlander ended up making 38 pitches in the inning, the most he threw in an inning all season.

In the fourth, Brandon Belt fell behind 0-2 before working a walk, taking a changeup that just missed for ball four. He would come around to score on a single by Barry Zito, who picked up his second RBI of the postseason. A .097 hitter for his career, Zito had two RBIs the entire regular season. Giants pitchers now have driven in a run in four consecutive postseason games.

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2. Melky who?

To anyone who thought the Giants should have brought back Melky Cabrera after his 50-game suspension, Gregor Blanco delivered a message: Have you seen me play defense?

Blanco took away a hit from Miguel Cabrera in the third and another from Prince Fielder in the sixth with nice, sliding catches. Both catches came with runners on base and ensured the Tigers mounted no rallies.

With a .244 average in the regular season, Blanco hit 102 points less than Melky Cabrera. But Blanco has contributed offensively as well in the playoffs. He led the Giants in runs scored through the first two rounds.

3. Valverde’s fall continues

Hoping to pull one positive from the blowout loss, Tigers manager Jim Leyland brought in Jose Valverde to give the former closer a chance to boost his confidence. Whoops. That didn’t work so well, either.

Entering in the seventh, Valverde struck out Tim Lincecum before giving up consecutive hits to the first four hitters in the Giants’ lineup and was charged with two runs while getting only one out.

In his past three outings, Valverde has allowed nine runs and gotten only five outs, which amounts to an unsightly 48.50 ERA. Valverde, who will become a free agent after the World Series, likely has made his last pitch in a meaningful situation for Detroit.

There was a small consolation, though: Valverde was the only Tigers pitcher to face Pablo Sandoval and keep him in the ballpark.

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