It is amazing how six months of hard work and good baseball can come crumbling down in the matter of just two October days. This is the beauty of the game we all live, it is also the situation that the San Francisco Giants are currently in.

They were outscored 14-2 in the first two games of the NLDS series against the Cincinnati Reds. Even more disturbing, San Francisco was dominated at home with their two best pitches on the mound.

Now, the Giants have to travel to Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati and sweep a Reds team that has lost a total of 31 games at home this season. Needless to say, San Francisco is in a vicarious position tonight when they look to avoid the sweep and extend the series.

At the very least. it does appear that San Francisco has the pitching advantage here. 

Vogelsong, who has been an effective pitcher since rejoining the Giants in 2011 following some pedestrian years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, is San Francisco's final hope to extend their season beyond the 165th game. He possesses a 2-3 record with a 5.08 ERA in  `15 career appearances (eight starts) against Cincinnati, but those numbers a bit misleading considering that Vogelsong has been a completely different pitcher since the start of the 2011 season. 

He didn't record a decision in two starts against Cincinnati this season. San Francisco needs Vogelsong to give them a tremendous performance in a hitter-friendly ballpark tonight. If not, their season could come to a quick end. 

Those splits are absolutely scary. Bailey possesses a stunning 5.16 ERA at Great American Ballpark this seaon, a definite indication of how hard it is to pitch in that stadium. He did pitch a no-no against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the regular season and has turned the corner into being a top-of-the-rotation type of guy. 

Bailey started just one game against the Giants during the regular year, he received a no decision and went into the seventh inning. That type of performance this evening will put Cincinnati in a good position to sweep. 

Conclusion and Prediction

You have to believe that Bruce Bochy will have his Giants team ready to go. This is not a roster that is going to quit after losing the first two games at home. Rather, San Francisco will be into this game from the first inning. 

That being said, the stars are lining up for a Reds sweep. Bailey has been one of the most impressive starting pitchers over the latter half of the season. He, and the Reds, don't want to see Barry Zito on the hill for a game four tomorrow. 

Reds take a low-scoring affair and wrap up the sweep.