In Game 1 of the division series, the Reds lost their starting pitcher Johnny Cueto minutes after the national anthem, Cueto throwing a pitch and grimacing like someone shot hot lava into his back. Terrible way to start a series on the road. Just then you thought, “These Reds have trouble.”

The Giants were luckier than the Reds. They didn’t lose their starter. Matt Cain was healthy as a horse, but maybe that wasn’t good luck after all. He gave up two home runs in the first four innings, the first a two-run job on a hanging breaking ball to Brandon Phillips.

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