Reds beat Giants 5-2 in Game 1 of NLDS

So after five innings, the Reds own a 3-0 lead. It’s not a huge lead, but on the other hand Cincinnati’s got a fantastic bullpen, capped by Aroldis Chapman. It’s not late, exactly. But it’s getting there.

Matt Cain is a good pitcher, but he has a weakness: giving up home runs to the Cincinnati Reds. He allowed four in 13 innings during two regular-season contests against the Reds, and in Game 1 of the NLDS, Cain has allowed two booming home runs. Jay Bruce hit a solo homer in the top of the fourth, putting the Reds up 3-0.

After missing with a first-pitch change-up, Cain came back with a change-up that caught a little too much of the plate with the second pitch. Bruce hit it into the right-center field power alley -- 420 feet at its deepest, with a 24-foot high wall. It cleared the wall easily.

Entering Game 1 of the Giants’ Division Series against the Reds, ace Matt Cain had started three postseason games in his career and allowed the grand total of one run ... and that was unearned. Saturday night, Cain ran his no-earnies streak to 23⅔ innings with a strikeout of pinch-hitter Homer Bailey in the third inning.

But, you know, Homer Bailey’s actually a pitcher. Before Bailey, Drew Stubbs had singled. After Bailey, Brandon Phillips hit a hanging curveball a long way.

This isn’t exactly the way it was supposed to go.

That will do it for LeCure, though, as Latos will take over in the bottom of the third.

Whoa.

You spend all this time studying and anticipating a postseason match-up -- and Cain and Cueto were about as evenly matched as two pitchers were going to get this postseason -- and then this happens. Johnny Cueto, the Reds’ ace, left the game after throwing just eight pitches.

Brandon Belt started only 102 games at first base for the San Francisco Giants this season, but according to the numbers he ranked as one of the National League’s best-fielding first basemen. And in the first inning of the first inning of the Giants’ Division Series against the Cincinnati Reds, “Baby Giraffe” turned in what’s probably the best play of his professional career.

Brandon Phillips led off the game against Giants ace Matt Cain, and lifted an easy fly to center field. Next, Zack Cozart sent a high foul into the Bay Area sky and ... well, see for yourself what happened next:

If you were looking for Joey Votto leading off because you’re a mad sabermetrician, maybe next time. Dusty Baker’s lineup is pretty close to the one with which he finished the season, including Brandon Phillips hitting leadoff:

1. Brandon Phillips - 2B

2. Zack Cozart - SS

3. Joey Votto - 1B

4. Ryan Ludwick - LF

5. Jay Bruce - RF

6. Scott Rolen - 3B

7. Ryan Hanigan - C

8. Drew Stubbs - CF

9. Johnny Cueto - P

Reminder: Last year’s eventual World Series Champions started the season with Theriot as their everyday shortstop. Remember that when you’re making your preseason predictions for the rest of your life.