11/05/24
October 25, 2012
Sandoval Hits 3 Homers as Giants Take Game 1: Pablo Sandoval hit three home runs, two against Justin Verlander and one off Al Alburquerque, to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 8-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers in game 1 of the World Series. Sandoval joins Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols as the only players to hit three in a Series game. Verlander allowed five runs and six hits in four innings, his shortest start all season.
The headless chicken consensus on ESPN was that if SF beat Verlander they're a shoe-in.
posted by feloniousmonk at 01:24 PM on October 25, 2012
(fixed score)
I'm curious if Zito will be able to continue his success next year. And I guess that's the last we'll see of Valverde barring an emergency.
posted by justgary at 02:09 PM on October 25, 2012
Yeah, there's zero reason for him to pitch except in a blowout game late, when Leyland wants to save his bullpen for the next time. Last night was the perfect time to try him, and now that they know he's not "fixed", he should be on the pine for the rest of the series.
I'd not watched Valverde much, so it's weird to know that he had a perfect season for saves last year because the guy looks horribly out of shape, and his pitching motion is awful- he looks like someone's grandpa trying to pitch through the pain of arthritis.
For what it's worth, after his implosion game in the ALCS, Harold Reynolds on the MLB show pointed out how he holds his hands lower in his set positions, which causes him to open up too early- revealing his grip and his release point too readily. It's Harold Reynolds, of course, but still- the video looked pretty clear in the contrast of last year and this year.
posted by hincandenza at 02:36 PM on October 25, 2012
and his pitching motion is awful- he looks like someone's grandpa trying to pitch through the pain of arthritis.
Yep. His pitching motion from the side looks like a guy that use to pitch and is coming back for an old-timers game.
posted by justgary at 10:52 AM on October 26, 2012
3-1 victory
If Verlander can allow five runs in a 3-1 defeat he must have really gone off the rails since he got his hands on Kate Upton.