Rookie sensation Matt Wilkinson faces a daunting pitching duel against Nolan McLean as the struggling San Francisco Giants face the New York Mets.
More often than not, two teams who aren't in the same division play each other in a three-and-four-game series, so there's no need for a second tiebreaker.
In this case, the New York Mets took three out of four against the San Francisco Giants earlier this season, and now they're set for a three-game series from Sept. 4-6.
Should the Giants be able to sweep the Mets, that means they would win the season series, but obviously, there's not much to play for in this one.
It should be one of the Giants' easier series down the stretch, but that isn't saying much, as the Mets are only 63-77, a record that really puts the Giants' 58-83 season into perspective as to just how much has truly gone wrong.
Matt Wilkinson does battle with Nolan McLean
Somehow, Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson is 0-2 despite only having one shaky start with the Giants. The rookie is coming off a six-inning gem in a start that saw him throw more innings than he did in his first two combined.
Sadly for Wilkinson, he has to go toe-to-toe with Nolan McLean, so he can't expect to get much run support in this one.
McLean is 10-8 on the year with an ERA that's good for 14th in all of baseball (3.06) and a WHIP that puts him at 18th (1.12). If that's not impressive enough, his 172 strikeouts are the 12th most in the league.
Can Anthony Molina outduel Zac Thornton?
The game two pitching matchup doesn't get any easier for the Giants as Anthony Molina, someone who's a respectable 2-0 with a 3.77 ERA, is tasked with facing Zac Thornton, who has just a 2.93 ERA despite his 3-4 record.
Molina, 24, has won each of his first two starts since being acquired by the Giants. On the other hand, Thornton is 0-2 in his last four starts, but he's coming off a strong 11 innings of work where he's only allowed three earned runs.
Giants haven't named their game three starter
While the Giants starting pitcher in the series finale remains a mystery, San Francisco knows that the Mets are going with the right-handed Christian Scott.
Scott is 4-4 this season and has only won one of his last seven starts. He's allowed at least three earned runs in six of his last seven starts, so this could be a chance for the Giants offense to come alive in their finale game at Citi Field.
