Sandoval hits third home run; Giants take big lead
SAN FRANCISCO -- Justin Verlander didn't look like one of the premier pitchers in baseball during the first three innings of Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night.T
The San Francisco Giants used a pair of home runs by third baseman Pablo Sandoval and a fortuitous bounce to take a 4-0 lead over Verlander and the Detroit Tigers through 3 1/2 innings at AT&T Park.
Sandoval wasn't done. He hit his third home run off Al Alburquerque in the fifth inning to give the Giants a 6-0 lead, joining Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols to accomplish the feat in a World Series game.
Verlander was taken out after the fourth inning. He allowed five runs on on six hits.
It was the shortest outing since he went four innings the 2011 ALCS against the Texas Rangers.
BOX SCORE:Tigers vs. Giants
Sandoval opened the scoring by lining a two-out solo home run to center field on an 0-2 pitch in the first inning.
The Giants then scored three runs in the third, all with two outs.
Angel Pagan hit a grounder that bounced off the third-base bag and rolled into left field. Pagan wound up with a double and then scored on Marco Scutaro's line single up the middle.
Sandoval followed with his second home run, a liner to left that made it 4-0. He became the first Giants player to have a multi-homer game in the postseason since Cody Ross against Philadelphia in Game 1 of the 2010 National League Championship Series.
In the middle of the rally, Tigers pitching coach Jeff Jones visited Verlander but the ace right-hander was none too thrilled, saying "What are you doing out here?"
Perhaps Jones was there to tell Verlander to start getting people out.
Verlander also struggled when he started Game 1 of the 2006 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals as a rookie. He allowed seven runs, six earned, and six hits in five innings while taking the loss in a series the Cardinals eventually won in five games.
Sandoval, meanwhile, is now 3-for-3 against Verlander as he hit a triple in the All-Star Game in July at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
Sandoval has five home runs in this postseason.