San Francisco @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( Oct 27, 2012 ) San Francisco 2, Detroit 0
The San Francisco Giants attempt to complete a four-game sweep and capture their second World Series championship in three years Sunday, when they take on the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. San Francisco, which faced elimination six times this postseason, has put Detroit in a similar position after posting back-to-back 2-0 victories. The Giants became the first team to record consecutive shutouts in the World Series since 1966, when the Baltimore Orioles blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers three straight times.
After sweeping the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series, the Tigers sat for five days while waiting for their next opponent. The layoff has affected them offensively as they have scored only three runs over the first three games of the series and have registered a total of seven hits over the last two contests. Detroit sluggers Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder have gone a combined 3-for-19. The Tigers now look to join the 2004 Boston Red Sox as the only teams in major-league history to overcome a 3-0 playoff series deficit. Boston accomplished the feat against the Yankees in the ALCS.
TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Matt Cain (2-2, 3.52 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Max Scherzer (1-0, 0.82)
Cain is coming off his best performance of the postseason, a triumph over St. Louis in Game Seven of the National League Championship Series in which he scattered five hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings. The 28-year-old went 1-2 while allowing three runs in each of his previous three playoff starts. Cain, who was 8-2 in 17 regular-season road outings and has gone 1-1 away from home this postseason, has never faced Detroit in his career.
Scherzer has not pitched since Oct. 18, when he yielded one run and two hits while striking out 10 in 5 2/3 innings as the Tigers completed a four-game sweep of the New York Yankees in the ALCS. The 28-year-old was just as effective in Game Four of the AL Division Series against Oakland, yielding an unearned run and three hits in 5 1/3 frames while settling for a no-decision. Scherzer has not fared well versus San Francisco in his career, going 1-3 with a 5.12 ERA in four starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco has won a franchise-record six consecutive playoff games and has not trailed in any of them.
2. Detroit was shut out only twice during the regular season. It has been blanked three times already this postseason.
3. The Tigers have lost six straight World Series games dating back to 2006.