World Series news: Security in Detroit, a symphonic wager, and all those Venezuelans

The San Francisco Giants and the Detroit Tigers are back at it Saturday in the 2012 World Series. The Giants lead the Tigers two-zip, but don't count Detroit out – especially in their home park.

Halfway to the title: Giants lead World Series 2-0

SAN FRANCISCO

The Giants' extended family lingered on the field long after the final out, posing for pictures and savoring the win. Cars honked in the streets outside AT&T Park and fans celebrated in the bars.

San Francisco is halfway to the World Series title, not all the way there. Yet, after two days of beneficial bounces and pivotal plays that went their way, the Giants and their supporters seem to think the team's second championship in three years is only a couple of days away.

"When things are going well," Marco Scutaro said, "things are bouncing your way."

Madison Bumgarner pitched two-hit ball over seven innings, the Giants threw out a runner at the plate and then took advantage of a bunt that stayed fair to push across the go-ahead run in a 2-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night that gave them a World Series edge.

"It's a lot less stressful for sure," Bumgarner said, "but at the same time I don't think we can stop pushing or we're going to find ourselves in the same spot we've been in in the last two series."

And that would be on the brink of elimination.

San Francisco lost its first two games against Cincinnati, then became the first baseball team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five series by winning three straight on the road. Then the Giants fell into 1-3 hole against St. Louis before rallying to reach the World Series.

"It's great to get off to a good start," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We don't, believe me, take anything for granted."

Detroit police gear up for World Series crowds 

DETROIT

Police in Detroit have a plan to make sure the area around Comerica Park is safe for the thousands of baseball fans coming downtown to watch the World Series. But city officials are not tipping their hand on what they're going to do.

Interim Police Chief Chester Logan told reporters Friday that more than 20 law enforcement agencies will work with his officers when the Tigers host the San Francisco Giants beginning Saturday in Detroit for game 3 of the best-of-seven series.

Logan said "close to 100,000 people" will be downtown Sunday for the Detroit Lions afternoon football game at Ford Field and game 4 of the World Series that night.

He also said no officers would be pulled from Detroit neighborhoods for patrols in and around downtown.

Chavez jokes about Venezuelans in World Series 

CARACAS, Venezuela

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez joked that so many Venezuelan players are in the World Series that next year it should be played in the South American country.

This year a record nine Venezuelans are on the rosters for the San Francisco Giants and the Detroit Tigers. Chavez remarked during a televised Cabinet meeting Friday night that if the team's starting lineups are taken together, Venezuelans account for a third of the players.

He referred to President Barack Obama as he joked: "I think the next World Series, Obama, you're going to have to play it here in Venezuela, because it's Venezuelans all over the place."

The Venezuelan president praised Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval for hitting three home runs in Game 1.

"What would the major leagues do if Venezuela didn't exist? They'd get bored," Chavez said, recalling that the homers hit by "Kung Fu Panda" Sandoval sailed "to right field, to left field, to center field."

Chavez also pointed out that a Venezuelan pitcher, Anibal Sanchez, will start for the Tigers on Saturday.

Other Venezuelans playing in the series are: Miguel Cabrera, Avisail Garcia and Omar Infante for the Tigers, and Marco Scutaro, Gregor Blanco, Jose Mijares and Hector Sanchez for the Giants.

Detroit, San Francisco symphonies agree to wager 

DETROIT

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony are betting that their respective hometown teams will win the World Series.

The two sides have agreed that the winning city's orchestra will receive a shipment of iconic culinary delights from the loser.

What they haven't decided is what specific kind of food or foods it will be.

Both the DSO and the SFS are asking people to offer their suggestions via the orchestras' Facebook pages and Twitter feeds.

Detroit Symphony music director Leonard Slatkin says that "in the spirit of friendly competition, the DSO is challenging our colleagues in the San Francisco Symphony for bragging rights and spoils in the orchestral World Series."

The series resumes Saturday night in Detroit with the Giants holding a 2-0 lead over the Tigers.