All eyes in the National League are on this series out on the West Coast. The Cincinnati Reds lead the NL Central and the San Francisco Giants are in the hunt for a Wild Card spot. It’s been over a decade the last time this series has had major implications, but both teams are well aware of the importance of this three-game set.

San Francisco took Game 1 with an 11-2 pounding of the Reds and Game 2 is scheduled for first pitch 10:15 ET tonight in San Francisco’s AT&T Park.

With the Cardinals hot on the chase of the Reds in the NL Central, Cincinnati could actually find itself in a Wild Card race with San Francisco, which even further heightens the stakes in this series. The teams met in early June for a four-game series in Cincinnati. The Giants took the first two games with Reds rallying back to win the last two for a series split.

San Francisco has the forth-best home record in the NL while the Reds are owners of the second-best road record.

MLB Predictions: Pitching Matchup
Travis Wood (LHP, 4-1, 2.51 ERA) vs. Jonathan Sanchez (LHP, 9-8, 3.47 ERA)

The Reds have found themselves yet another sensational young arm in Travis Wood. Seven of his nine starts have been quality stats and the Reds are 7-2 when he takes the hill. All but one of his starts has been at home so the road has not fazed the 23-year old. He has never faced the Giants.

Sanchez enters the game on a hot streak of his own. He was sensational in his last start, lasting eight innings and allowing only one run at Philadelphia. The Giants are 7-3 in his last 10 starts. Sanchez has shined against the Reds in three starts, posting a 2-1 record and a 2.41 ERA. He has struggled at home, though, where his ERA is 5.46 over his last five starts at AT&T Park.

Reds Vs. Giants Betting Odds
The evenly matched teams have matching odds, too, with both Cincinnati and San Francisco priced at -110. The total is 7 with an ‘over’ listed at -125. Odds are courtesy of Sportsbook.com.

Reds Vs. Giants Betting Trends
Reds are 8-2 in their last 10 games
Reds are 4-1 in their last five games vs. a left-handed starter
Reds are 9-2 in their last 11 road games
Reds are 5-0 in Woods last five road starts
Giants are 9-4 in their last 14 games vs. a left-handed starter
‘Over’ is 4-1 in the last five meetings
‘Over’ is 4-1 in Woods last five road starts
‘Over’ is 12-3-1 in Sanchez last 16 starts overall

Reds Vs. Giants Betting Picks and Predictions
The 11-2 loss on Monday night has to raise red flags for Dusty Baker. With playoff berths hinging on series like this the Reds cannot afford to get swept again like they were at home in a huge series against the Cardinals.

The Reds have simply not played well when it has mattered the most and another area of concern is the road trip. Tuesday night’s game will mark the seventh consecutive road game for Cincinnati. In two previous road trips this year that were seven-games or longer, the Reds finished the first one by losing five straight and the second one by losing the last four games.

For whatever reason, the young team has gone into the tank at the tail end of road trips. Wood has been sensational on the mound for the Reds and he is just the pitcher they want in this situation, but Sanchez is also pitching at his peak. Even with the history of going ‘over’ the total with these two teams, this has the makings of a pitcher’s duel and the makings of a Giants win. 

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