San Francisco wins on Rolen's error in 10th, forces Reds to make tough decision on Game 4 starter

CINCINNATI

It is so improbable, the Giants still playing in this Division Series, the Giants forcing a Game 4, the Giants getting exactly one hit in nine innings, being no-hit for 5 2/3 innings, the Giants scoring the winning run in the 10th inning because of a passed ball and an error. Just so improbable.

The Giants continue to play.

This was the game they absolutely had to win. Not just because it was an elimination game. That's obvious. It's more interesting than that and it concerns the Reds. As I write this it is 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday night in Cincinnati and the Reds still don't know who will pitch Game 4. The Giants had to win on Tuesday to force Dusty Baker to confront his pitching staff, which is a mess.

Baker came to the postgame interview room and he was grim. His team leads this series but he is the one with the big problem. Asked who will start Game 4, he said, "As of now we're not sure. We're going to go in and discuss it and find out all the parties involved and then try to come up with a solution tonight. I mean, I wish I had an answer but I don't."

Bad time not to have an answer. Does he know what the options are?

"Yeah, the options are probably (Mat) Latos on the second three-day in a row rest and (Mike) Leake."

Let's go over Baker's options for Game 4. Latos pitched in the first game on an emergency basis and will not have proper rest. Leake had a record of 8-9 this season, did not get picked for the playoff roster and would have to be activated for the game - not exactly the guy you want in a crisis game. If the Reds activate Leake, they probably will disable Johnny Cueto and that would make Cueto ineligible for the League Championship Series.

This could induce a severe migraine in Baker and it means the Giants, who never led a game in this series until the 10th inning of Game 3, have a fighting chance.

They continue to play.

The top of the 10th was the deciding inning and it was beautiful if you find tense, heart-stopping playoff baseball beautiful. If you don't, why are you reading this?

Reds reliever Jonathan Broxton gave up two singles. He seems to live on the edge. He got around to facing Joaquin Arias with two outs and runners at second and third after a passed ball. You thought he would overpower Arias. Reds pitchers had overpowered Giants hitters the entire series.

The scene was slow and dense as if the air had become viscous and molten. It was because of Broxton. He took his time. After each pitch, he would trudge to the back of the hill, then turn around and smooth out his pants cuffs. Without saying it, he was saying, "This is my mound, my ball, my game, and I will take my time. In fact, I own time."

But Arias hit a grounder to third, not a hard grounder, but maybe it was a tricky hop. And Scott Rolen botched it. Just murdered it. And Buster Posey scored from third and the Giants had the lead, and even though it was a cloudy, cold night in Cincinnati, the Giants, who had hungered for an opening, hungered for anything positive, grabbed this glimmer of hope and won.

They still play.

Sergio Romo closed out the game - he's become the Giants closer even though no one says it officially. He finally can get out lefties and that's what Bruce Bochy was looking for.

Romo is emotional and passionate. This is what he said in the interview room. "In the dugout, everyone was fired up and saying, &‘We can get it done. We've got to do this now.' And there is no lack of belief on this team. We're a high-strung team and being able to take that into the top of the 10th and get ahead, it's huge for us. These are the type of games we have played all season. We are a gritty and grinding team. We play for the guy next to us, the greater good. It's the balls-to-the-wall scenario."

Just as passionate is Jeremy Affeldt, who spoke at his locker.

"We kept the game within striking distance and, when we had a chance to strike, we did. We're not just going to fold up and give them the game and go home. We didn't fly all the way across the country to turn around and get on a plane and fly all the way back. It's bad on our backs."

Let's linger with Affeldt as he talks, this time about the Giants' resilience: "You lose your All-Star closer. You lose your three-hole hitter halfway through the year. You've got to wake up to that. We've been tested this whole year. This is just another test. I don't think they expected us to just roll over and they'd take three games from us. They respect us just as we respect them."

As improbable as it seems - and it is improbable - the Giants continue to play. They play. And Barry Zito gets his start.

For more on the world of sports in general and the Bay Area in particular, go to the Cohn Zohn at cohn.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach Staff Columnist Lowell Cohn at lowell.cohn@pressdemocrat.com.