Tonight, in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates took on the San Francisco Giants. This was a contest of two teams fighting for playoff position in the National League Wild Card race.

Pittsburgh broke out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Gregory Polanco would lead of the inning with a single to right, and would be out at second base when Starling Marte grounded into a fielders choice to the shortstop Brandon Crawford. With one out and one on, Andrew McCutchen would single up the middle, putting runners on first and second. Then Aramis Ramirez stepped in the box, and he would ­­walk to load the bases.

This brought up Jung Ho-Kang, who hit two monstrous home runs against the Giants yesterday. Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong (L, 9-9, 4.05 ERA) would walk Kang to bring home the run, making it 1-0 Pirates in the bottom of the first. Neil Walker then came up and singled in McCutchen. Pedro Alvarez then followed with a sac-fly to left to drive home Ramirez. After one inning, the Pirates would hold a 3-0 lead.

Ryan Vogelsong had a rough night with his command and didn't last long after the dreadful first inning. The veteran right-hander lasted 3.1 innings where he gave up three runs on seven hits, while walking four and striking out two.

The Giants would finally get on the board against Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano (W, 9-6, 3.23 ERA). In the top of the fifth, with runners on first and third and one out, Marlon Byrd would hit a high chopper to third and would be safe as first baseman Pedro Alvarez couldn't handle the throw. This fielding miscue would allow Matt Duffy to score from third, cutting the lead to 3-1.

San Francisco would come right back in the sixth inning as Gregor Blanco would reach second base on another error by the Pirate first baseman Alvarez. Then Juan Perez, who was pinch-hitting for the pitcher Yusmeiro Pettit, hit a single that advanced Blanco to third. With runners on the corners and one out, the Giants leadoff hitter Nori Aoki singled threw the left side, scoring Blanco and cutting into the Pirates three-run cushion. Liriano was then replaced for Arquimedes Caminero, who induced a inning-ending double play on the first batter he faced to end the fifth. Heading into the bottom of the sixth the Pirates led 3-2.

Liriano picked up the win despite going only 5.1 innings, where he allowed two runs (zero earned) on seven hits, three walks and five strikeouts.

Left hander Javier Lopez came into the game to replace Pettit in the bottom of the sixth, and struck out the first hitter he faced swinging. He then proceeded to get Marte to line out Aoki in left. However, the next batter Andrew McCutchen rocked a solo home run just over the left field wall, making it 4-2 Pittsburgh.

Reliever Josh Osich came in to pitch for the Giants in the bottom of the seventh inning. He would face Kang, who was 1-for-2 with a walk, and forced a groundout to the shortstop.Then after another groundout he would give up a solo homer to Pedro Alvarez smacked over the left field wall, furthering the score to 5-2 in favor of the Pirates. Despite two errors in the field, Alvarez made up for it with his 20th home run of the season.

In the end, the Giants effort in the top of the ninth would not be enough, as Pirates closer Mark Melancon closed out the game with a strikeout of Byrd. That was Melancon's 39th save of the season, which leads of Major League Baseball.

Overall, this was a meaningful game for both teams. For the Giants, they slipped farther back of the division leading Los Angeles Dodgers, while the Pirates gained more ground in their lead of the NL Wild Card spot.