By: Trevor Hooth
Just five years ago, the San Francisco Giants were celebrating in the locker room after a clean sweep of the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.
When the two teams face off this week, the stakes are not nearly as high. Both teams are under .500, and neither are threatening to make the playoffs. But just because this series isn’t in October, does not mean there is a lack of drama.
Michael Fulmer took the mound in the series opener against Matt Cain on Tuesday. Fulmer entered the game with a 7-6 record and 3.19 ERA, while Cain was sporting a 3-7 record and 5.46 ERA.
It was the top of the first inning when the scoring started, as Giants right fielder Hunter Pence slugged his sixth home run of the season. This was not just any home run, though. It ended the MLB’s longest active streak for consecutive innings without allowing a home run (73.2 innings) for Fulmer.
In the bottom of the second inning, Victor Martinez, not too far removed from a hospital stay for irregular heartbeat, connected with a Cain fastball to tie the game 1-1.
Martinez would come through again in the fourth inning with a single that drove Justin Upton. Nicholas Castellanos was up next with runners on first and third, and one out. He responded by hitting a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing in Miguel Cabrera to score.
Even with a 3-1 lead, Fulmer was getting mostly fly ball outs. He was not getting burned, but a lot of these flyouts were deep. It was in the top of the seventh inning when Brandon Crawford showed the danger in that kind of pitching, as he launched a two-run home run to right field.
In the bottom of that inning, the Tigers started with two singles by Castellanos and Mikie Mahtook. A bunt attempt by Jose Iglesias was not placed correctly, ending in a fielder’s choice as Cain threw to third to get the lead runner. Cain’s day was done, leaving two runners on in a 3-3 game.
The new pitcher was George Kontos, who retired Ian Kinsler, but then allowed an infield single to Alex Avila. This left the bases loaded, with two outs and the game still tied. In a 2-0 count, Upton drove in two runs with a single to left field. Avila was thrown out at third to end the inning.
Fulmer shut down the Giants in order in the top of the eighth inning, paving way for Justin Wilson to close out the game in the ninth inning.