On This Day in Sports: October 28, 2012
On October 28, 2012, the San Francisco Giants defeated the Detroit Tigers 4-3 in 10 innings at Comerica Park to complete a four-game World Series sweep. The title was the seventh in franchise history and the Giants’ second in three seasons. With the score tied in the top of the 10th, Ryan Theriot singled and moved to second on Brandon Crawford’s sacrifice bunt. Marco Scutaro then lined a single to center field, and Theriot raced home with the winning run. Sergio Romo finished the night by striking out Miguel Cabrera, freezing the American League Triple Crown winner with a fastball for the final out.
San Francisco’s sweep capped a postseason built on survival. The Giants had fallen behind the Cincinnati Reds two games to none in the National League Division Series, then won three straight road games to advance. They also trailed the St. Louis Cardinals three games to one in the National League Championship Series before winning three consecutive games. Detroit reached the World Series by sweeping the New York Yankees, but San Francisco carried its momentum into the Fall Classic. Pablo Sandoval hit three home runs in Game 1, the Giants shut out the Tigers in Games 2 and 3, and a Detroit lineup that had been dangerous all season entered Game 4 searching for a way to extend the series.
The deciding game moved back and forth. Brandon Belt’s second-inning triple gave San Francisco the first run, but Cabrera answered with a two-run homer in the third. Buster Posey’s two-run homer restored the Giants’ lead in the sixth before Delmon Young tied the score in the bottom half. Giants starter Matt Cain worked through seven innings, and Jeremy Affeldt followed with dominant relief, striking out four of the six batters he faced. After Scutaro’s go-ahead hit, Romo struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th. His final sequence against Cabrera captured the Giants’ approach throughout the series: confident pitching, careful execution, and contributions from across the roster.
The victory secured another championship for a club that had waited until 2010 to win its first World Series after moving to San Francisco. It also placed the 2012 team at the center of a remarkable run that produced three titles in five seasons, with the Giants winning again in 2014. Sandoval was named World Series Most Valuable Player, while Scutaro’s decisive hit and Romo’s final strike gave the sweep its lasting images. The achievement was not defined by one superstar alone. Timely defense, deep pitching, and a lineup that repeatedly delivered in high-pressure moments turned six elimination-game wins into a championship. October 28 remains a reminder that a season can be decided by a team that keeps finding a way forward, even when its path to the title looks nearly closed.
The Giants had won six elimination games before reaching the World Series finale.
Detroit had swept the Yankees but lost the first three games of the World Series.
Marco Scutaro singled home Ryan Theriot with the go-ahead run in the 10th inning.
Sergio Romo struck out Miguel Cabrera for the final out of the four-game sweep.
The win gave the Giants their seventh franchise championship and second title in three seasons.
The 2012 championship became the middle title in San Francisco's three-title run from 2010 through 2014.
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