Mark Heyne

After winning the first two games of the National League Division Series in San Francisco, the Reds have now dropped two games at Great American Ball Park, leaving their postseason hanging on Game 5 Thursday afternoon.

The Giants scored 8 runs on 11 hits, three of them home runs.  Despite getting 9 hits, the Reds could only muster 3 runs.  Mike Leake was the losing pitcher; Tim Lincecum picked up the win in relief for San Francisco.

Mat Latos will start for the Reds in Game 5.   Matt Cain takes the mound for the Giants.

As the Reds go into postseason play for the second time in three seasons, here's some playoff history courtesy of Reds Hall of Fame Chief Curator Chris Eckes. 

The 1976 team went undefeated in the postseason, the only team to do that since Major League Baseball went to divisional play.  The Reds swept the Phillies in three games in the National League Championship and the Yankees in four in the World Series that year.  Eckes says prior to that run, Cincinnati manager Sparky Anderson had a prophetic discussion with reporters:

The Reds will be heading to San Francisco to face the Giants for the start of the National League Division Series this weekend.  Cincinnati is the number two seed in the National League after the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon to take the top spot.  The Reds first game against the Giants will be Saturday night at 9:37.