Not much has changed in the week since the last series preview for these two teams, except for one big question being answered. I went into it pitching the idea that the Giants were already a non-playoff team given their poor play for a month and a half; and, I spotlighted one player who could make my notion a reality.

I offered that Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham had “once slapped the playoffs out of the Giants’ mouths . Does he have the strength to do it again? He is 1-for-19 in his last two trips to Oracle Park (6 games, 20 PA).” It turns out he did still have the strength — and he used it. He was 5-for-8 in 2 of the 3 games with a double, an RBI, and 2 runs scored.

The San Francisco Giants were just 3 games out of the last Wild Card spot and 7 games behind division-leading Los

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