This one became a battle of the bullpens a lot sooner than expected, and it's not a battle the Giants wanted to fight. After all, they had their No. 1 starter and ... who knew? Maybe the Giants could build a big league while Matt Cain was pitching seven or eight shutout innings?

But of course that didn't happen, as Cain lasted only five innings. And you don't want to be losing 3-1 to the Reds in the late innings, because a) generally speaking, their bullpen finished the season with a 2.56 ERA, tops in the National League, and b) specifically, closer Aroldis Chapman is really tough, since you can't hit what you can't see.

The Giants do have two more chances, though. In the top of the eighth, Jeremy Affeldt escaped a jam when Jay Bruce grounded out with a couple of runners aboard.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Giants couldn't do anything with Reds lefty Sean Marshall. In the eighth, they'll get a shot at righty Jonathan Broxton. And if that doesn't work out ... yeah. The Cuban Missile. Big fun.