Welcome to Thursday night's playoff game between the Giants and Cardinals, and let's face it, that's what this series is.
Neither team will clinch anything here. Heck, they might split the four games and settle nothing. But make no mistake, if one team dominates the other it could spell the difference between playing in the Wild Card Game or watching it on television.
Manager Bruce Bochy seems to be treating it like a playoff game. He finally relented and dropped Denard Span (3-for-46) form the leadoff spot - all the way down to eighth, the first time he has batted there since April 13, 2008, his first month in the majors.