Ex-Pirate Vogelsong lifts Giants to 3-0 lead

Associated Press

DETROIT

Ryan Vogelsong escaped trouble three times and Gregor Blanco hit a go-ahead triple to lead San Francisco over the Detroit Tigers, 2-0, on Saturday night and move the Giants into a 3-0 World Series lead.

One win from their second title in three seasons, the Giants became the first team to pitch consecutive shutouts in the Series since Baltimore’s staff ended 1966 with three straight against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Vogelsong became only the third pitcher to make four straight starts in a single postseason in which he allowed no more than one run, giving up five hits in 52/3 innings with four walks and three strikeouts. He induced double-play grounders to escape trouble in the first and third innings, then got Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera to pop out with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth.

Vogelsong, who entered 2-0 with 1.42 ERA in three postseason starts, has traveled through 10 minor league cities plus two in Japan over the last 15 years, also making winter ball stops at the Arizona Fall League and Venezuela. In between, the 35-year-old has gone 37-38 during parts of eight seasons with the Giants and Pittsburgh. He has gone seven straight starts allowing one run or none, dating to mid-September.

Sanchez, acquired from Miami in July, showed rust from his 12-day layoff. Hunter Pence walked on four pitches starting the second, ending Sanchez’s streak of 95 right-handed batters without a walk since Aug. 22, according to STATS LLC. One out later, Blanco pulled a full-count pitch off an advertising board on the fence.

Detroit pulled the infield in — manager Jim Leyland and Hector Sanchez struck out. Brandon Crawford, the No. 9 hitter, lofted a single to short center that Austin Jackson overran for an error.