MLB Playoffs: Pittsburgh Pirates to host San Francisco Giants in NL Wild Card
By Bryan Rose
Had the Pittsburgh Pirates been able to win the final game of their regular season they could have potentially forced a tiebreaker against the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League Central division crown.
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Alas, it wasn’t meant to be as the Pirates were defeated by the Cincinnati Reds and will now host the San Francisco Giants in a one game Wild Card, winner-take-all scenario. It will be the first time the two have meet in a playoff series since 1971.
This will be first postseason meeting between Giants and Pirates since 1971 NLCS, when Pittsburgh won 3 of 4 on way to winning World Series.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) September 28, 2014
The San Francisco Giants have already officially announced their starting pitcher for the Wild Card contest as 19-game winner Madison Bumgarner will take the mound. Meanwhile the Pittsburgh Pirates have yet to make an official announcement though it is widely expected that Edinson Volquez will oppose Bumgarner for the Pirates.
Gerrit Cole pitched on Sunday while Francisco Liriano pitched this weekend and it’s not believed the Pirates will risk using either pitcher on short rest come Wednesday’s game.
Pittsburgh took the season series against San Francisco and has been a force at home this season.
The winner of the Wild Card game will play the Washington Nationals with that Division Series beginning on Friday night.
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