Giants vs. Pirates: TV Schedule and Predictions for NL Wild Card Game

With the AL Wild Card Game in the books, the baseball world's attention turns to Pittsburgh and the Senior Circuit's one-game, sudden-death wild-card tilt.

It'll be the Giants in Steeltown to visit the Pirates, who are in familiar territory having won the 2013 wild-card matchup at PNC Park against the Cincinnati Reds.

What makes this one especially intriguing is that the two teams posted identical 88-74 records in the regular season.

This is must-see baseball.

TV Schedule

Here is everything you need to know to be able to watch the do-or-die playoff contest.

Date: October 1, 2014

Time: 8:07 p.m. EST

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh

TV: ESPN

Online Stream: WatchESPN

Predictions for the Game

The two teams combine for less than five runs

To say this one should be a pitcher's duel would be an understatement.

San Francisco's Madison Bumgarner has emerged as a legitimate ace over the last two seasons, whiffing a batter per inning while posting sub-3.00 ERAs in both seasons.

He's also proven he can work deep into games and has tossed at least 200 innings in each of the last four years.

On the mound for the Pirates is Edinson Volquez, who's had a renaissance-type season in Pittsburgh, posting a 3.04 ERA over the course of 31 starts.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

It's been his play of late, however, that makes him such a formidable starter for this game.

In his final six starts, dating back to August 29, Volquez has thrown 41 innings with a 1.10 ERA, .170 batting average against and .516 OPS against.

To think that this game will be a high-scoring affair would be misguided.

Then again, that's what people said about the AL Wild Card Game as well.

Madison Bumgarner gets his revenge; leads the Giants to a victory

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

In his last 15 starts of the season, Bumgarner threw at least six innings in every one of them.

All but one, that is.

That one start? Against these same Pirates at AT&T Park back on July 28.

His line that day? Thoroughly unimpressive.

IP	ER	H	BB	K	HR
4	5	6	2	2	1

His one-game FIP for that start?

One person may look at that and believe that the Pirates have his number.

I look at that start, then see how he followed it up by going on a tear to end the campaign and believe it served as a driving force and motivation.

As one of the best pitchers in the game over the past several years, and one who has pitched in pressure-packed playoff games, Bumgarner shouldn't be fazed by the raucous atmosphere that awaits him at PNC Park.

Look for the Giants to scratch out three runs and Bumgarner to solve a Bucs lineup he's had problems with in the past.

Prediction: Giants 3, Pirates 1

All stats obtained courtesy of baseball-reference.com.

Jon Reid is a correspondent for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @JonReidCSM.