'93 Jints taken to brink by '46 Tigers

The 1993 Giants and 1946 Tigers squared off for a ticket to the Final Four, with managers Joe Pryweller and Tom Davis trying every trick to get there.

The series went all the way to five games, with the home team winning each game. The series star was Giants pitcher Bill Swift, who won two games in overpowering fashion. Rod Beck also saved three games for a league leading eight saves. For Detroit, Roy Cullenbine was magnificent, hitting four home runs. But Hank Greenberg couldn't get going (for SF, Barry Bonds couldn't either), hurting the cause.

Neither team showed great offensive firepower - outside of a Game Three blowout by Detroit -- but pitching and clutch hitting was stellar throughout. Tom's Tiger squad also experienced some dramatics in Game Four -- down 2-1 in the series, the Tigers lost its best starter, Hal Newhouser, to injury in the fourth. But even so, a little-used bullpen came through to force Game Five (where they had to face Swift again).

It's on to face Mark's 2012 Orioles club for the 1993 Giants. I hope a heavy dose of crabcakes and partying at the Inner Harbor doesn't slow the Giants too much.

Here's the recap:
Game One:
SF 6, DET 4
W: Swift (3-0)
L: Newhouser (5-1)
S: Beck (6)
MVP: Bill Swift

A great pitching duel, with five-game winner Newhouser against Giants' co-ace Swift. Detroit scored in the first, as Swift walked two and allowed an RBI single from Dick Wakefield. Detroit upped the lead to 2-0 in the sixth on Roy Cullenbine's solo shot, a rocket to right. But the late-arriving Giants bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth, as Kurt Manwaring's single plated two and finally broke Newhouser's shutout. In the bottom of the seventh, the Giants knocked around Newhouser, scoring four more, the big blow being Robby Thompson's three run homer, his second. While Detroit scored two in the top of the eighth off Giants' relievers - including a second Cullenbine homer -- Rod Beck closed it down in the ninth for his sixth save.

Game Two:
SF 6, DET 4
W: Burkett (4-0)
L: Trucks (1-1)
S: Beck (7)
MVP: John Burkett
The Giants' other great starter, John Burkett, moved to 4-0, benefiting from some longball by SF bats off Detroit starter Virgil Trucks. Barry Bonds hit his fourth, a two run blast, in the first to give the Giants an early 2-1 lead after Cullenbine's sac fly brought home a Detroit run in the top of the inning.  In the bottom of the fourth, Willie McGee scorched a double down the right field line, Royce Clayton walked, and Burkett lined a surprise two-out single to plate them and give the Giants a 4-1 lead. Detroit struck right back off Buckett in the fifth as Eddie Lake's seeing eye single between SS and 3B scored two to make it 4-3. The crushing blow for the Giants occurred in the bottom of the sixth, as Matt Williams just cleared the left field fence for a two run homer and a 6-3 Giants lead. Again, Detroit tried to make it a game, but Beck was again lights out in the ninth for his seventh save.
Game Three:
DET 7, SF 1
W: Hutchinson (4-0)
L: Black (0-3)
MVP: Fred Hutchinson
Detroit wasn't going down quietly in this series, as SF pitching wasn't as sharp. Bud Black kept the Giants in the game, only giving up three runs in his six innings of work, two of them in the fourth on a groundout from Hoot Evers and a ground single from Johnny Bloodworth. But Hutchinson was mowing down Giants hitters, only giving up one run on a Thompson double that led to a run in the sixth and a 3-1 Detroit lead. But after Black left, Giants relievers Jeff Brantley and Bryan Hickerson allowed four more Detroit runs in the bottom of the seventh. Lake and Cullenbine (a series star) hit back to back homers off Brantley, who was probably thinking of his upcoming broadcast career instead of pitching. Detroit won an easy one, 7-1.

Game Four:
DET 3, SF 2
W: Caster (1-0)
L: Wilson (0-2)
S: Benton (1)
MVP: Al Benton
Manager Davis started Newhouser on three days rest in a must-win game for the Tigers vs.

the Giants' Trevor Wilson. Newhouser looked good early, shutting down Giants bats in the first three innings. Detroit took a 2-0 lead as Newhouser stroked an RBI single and Cullenbine hit another homer, his seventh and fourth of the series. But then Newhouser had to leave in the fourth with a finger blister, worrying manager Davis considerably. However, seldom used reliever George Caster came on to shut the door, giving up only a scratch RBI single from Williams in the fourth and a run in the seventh as he walked Bonds with the bases loaded. Meanwhile, Detroit got the insurance run it needed on Wakefield's solo homer, his third, in the sixth. Reliever Al Benton kept the Giants' bats cold in 2.1 innings of shutout work. Detroit squeaked through for a 3-2 win and a Game Five date.

Game Five:
SF 2, DET 0
W: Swift (4-0)
L: Trout (0-5)
S: Beck (8)
MVP: Bill Swift
The Giants again sent out Swift to nail down the rubber game of the series, while Detroit was forced to counter with Dizzy Trout, who had been ineffective during the tournament (but was a 17 game winner in real life that year). Manager Davis was nervous, while Manager Pryweller wondered if the Giants' bats could heat up again before they were cooled for the tourney. It turned out that neither mattered a lot - the Giants hit just enough to win, while Trout was good enough (albeit a bit wild) but had no support from Detroit hitters. Swift was magnificent, throwing 7.1 innings of six hit, shutout ball while striking out six. Detroit got a man as far as third base twice but couldn't deliver. The Giants could only score two runs off Trout -- both on RBI singles from Swift, a good hitting pitcher. It was truly the Bill Swift show today. Rod Beck nailed it down again with his eighth save and third of the series, with help from the stellar Mike Jackson. SF moves on after a difficult series.

Tom send the files to Marc already.....

See you next round!
Regards,

Joe Pryweller