DETROIT (Reuters) - The Detroit Tigers arrived back on their home turf Friday to overcast skies, chilly temperatures and a lot of griping by the locals about the winter-like weather.
Detroit manager Jim Leyland, however, could not be happier with the conditions.
After losing the first two games of the World Series to the San Francisco Giants under sunny skies at AT&T Park, the Tigers hope a change in scenery will amount to a reversal of fortune.
'This is the World Series,' said Leyland. 'It's cold for everybody. It's cold for the fans, the beer is cold, everything is cold. It's great, enjoy it.'
The Tigers dropped the opening two games of the series 8-3 and 2-0, playing nothing like the brash team that swept the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.
Game Three of the best-of-seven series is Saturday at Comerica Park. The next two games, if necessary, will also be in Detroit.
San Francisco entered the World Series having survived six win-or-go-home games against the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals.
OUT-PERFORMING THE TIGERS
For a team many believed fortunate just to be playing in the Fall Classic, they are out-performing the Tigers in all phases of the game.
'We're down two games, but that's in the past,' said Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez, the Game Three starter. 'At this moment every day we start over. Tomorrow we need to start over.
'We need to forget what happened in San Francisco. I know we've got the talent. That's why we're here. We've got a pretty good team, so we're going to fight it to the end.'
The Giants have held 2-0 advantages in the World Series four times in the franchise's existence and each time they have gone on to win the championship.
Detroit's offense was ineffective in the first two games, scoring just one run until the ninth inning of the series-opening rout, and then managing only two hits in Game Two.
'Well, right now their pitchers haven't made many mistakes,' said Tigers catcher Alex Avila. 'Hitters hit mistakes, that's the bottom line. When you have opportunities with the guys on base, you've got to be able to take advantage of them.
'To this point in two games we haven't. That's really it. There's nothing more to it.'
If the Tigers' offense is going to break out on Saturday, they will have to do it against the Giants' hottest pitcher, Ryan Vogelsong.
Leyland told reporters the Giants had better get used to Detroit's raw temperatures.
'We have got heaters in the dugout for both teams,' he said. 'Ours is going to be a little warmer than theirs tomorrow night, but that's all right, we're not going to tell them that.
'I'm just kidding,' he added.
(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)
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