NL Wild Card Schedule 2014: Viewing Info and Preview for Pirates vs. Giants

It may seem somewhat strange and even unfair that an entire 162-game schedule can come down to one evening in the MLB playoffs, but that is part of the excitement with the Wild Card Round.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants will do battle Wednesday for the right to play the No. 1 seed Washington Nationals in the Division Series. Here is a look at the viewing information and a preview for the nerve-wracking contest.

Viewing Info

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 1

Time: 8:07 p.m. ET 

TV/Live Stream: ESPN/Watch ESPN

Preview

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

This should be business as usual for the Pirates, who will host the National League Wild Card Game for the second straight year. The hope on their side is the result is the same as last year’s victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Pittsburgh got here with a scorching finish to the season (17 wins in the last 23 games), so it is only appropriate that it is sending a red-hot pitcher to the mound in Edinson Volquez.

Volquez finished with a 3.04 ERA and a team-high 31 starts and 192.2 innings pitched, but it was his performance in the second half of the year that helped the Pirates reach the postseason again. In fact, Volquez sports a 1.78 ERA in his last 12 starts and hasn’t allowed a run in 18 innings.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

His 1.08 September ERA is second best in the entire National League, and he has only allowed four earned runs in his last five home starts.

With Volquez on the mound, the Giants are going to need an impressive pitching performance of their own from Madison Bumgarner. Fortunately for them, he could have been a borderline Cy Young candidate behind his 2.98 ERA were it not for Clayton Kershaw.

Bumgarner is also comfortable on the road, as evidenced by his 11-4 record away from AT&T Park this year.

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Bumgarner discussed the moment, via Henry Schulman of SFGate.com:

"

This is the most exciting game. The whole year comes down to one game. If you don’t want to pitch in a game like that, something’s wrong with you, or you’re in the wrong business. This is what you work for. I’m sure there’s plenty of other guys who would love to be out there and have the chance to do that.

"

While it is easy to point to the two pitchers and say this will be a low-scoring game, there are actually some positive signs for the Pirates offense.

Bumgarner worked at least six full innings in each of his final 15 starts except one, which just so happened to be his start against Pittsburgh. The Pirates tagged him for five runs on six hits and two walks in four innings on July 28, which should give the home team some confidence during Wednesday’s contest.

Much of the focus will understandably be on star Andrew McCutchen, but it will be less-heralded guys who shine Wednesday. Leadoff man Josh Harrison is 4-for-5 with a home run against Bumgarner in his career, and Starling Marte destroyed lefties with a .303 batting average this season.

Marte also hit .348 in the second half of the year with eight homers and will look to carry that momentum over into the postseason against the southpaw Bumgarner. 

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

San Francisco’s offense, on the other hand, limped to the finish and scored 44 runs in the last 15 games. Perhaps Bumgarner can help that on Wednesday, as ESPN Stats & Info pointed out:

If we look beyond just the pitching matchup, Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com said the Pittsburgh crowd could play a major role, like it did last year at PNC Park:

"

Last year's NL wild-card game was memorable not so much for the game itself, but for the never-ending "Cuuueeettttooo! Cuuueeetttooo!" chants from the Pirates fans that obviously rattled Johnny Cueto. Bumgarner's lucky his name isn't easily tauntable (Maaadison, Maaadison?), but, either way, expect the crowd to be a factor based on last postseason.

"

Things seem to be lining up for the Pirates at home in this one. Volquez has been lights-out recently and is facing a struggling offense, and Pittsburgh already got to Bumgarner once this year. Look for the Pirates to get on the board first and the raucous crowd to take them the rest of the way in this contest. 

Prediction: Pirates 3, Giants 2

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