By Morris Phillips

The Pirates’ memory of what transpired on October 1 is probably a lot more vivid than the collective memory of the Giants.

If so, that may explain how the hot Giants had their heels cooled by Pittsburgh in a three-game sweep at AT&T Park that concluded on Wednesday afternoon with a 5-2 Giants’ loss.

The Pirates 2014 post-season was made frustratingly brief by the Giants and Madison Bumgarner in an 8-0 shutout that sent Pittsburgh home for the winter without them even scoring a single run in the playoffs.  What’s worse is the shutout took place at PNC Park in front of disbelieving Pirates fans.  And more worse: the game was effectively over after four innings when Brandon Crawford’s grand slam gave the Giants a 4-0 lead that Bumgarner was certain to maintain.

After that harsh dismissal, it wouldn’t surprise anyone that the Pirates probably had their trip to San Francisco circled on their calendars.  In a three-game sweep in which the Pirates did everything right—especially on the mound—it sure seemed to be the case.

“We did run into a hot club that played very well,” manager Bruce Bochy admitted.  “When they didn’t hit it hard like the eighth inning, groundballs had eyes.  It was one of those series.  What could go wrong went wrong did at times.”

Francisco Liriano allowed four hits and a run in seven innings and the Giants’ hitters were stymied for the third straight day.  In each loss, the Giants scored first only to see the Pirates assume the lead and hold on.  Liriano allowed Joe Panik’s RBI single in the second, but Pittsburgh responded with single runs in the fourth and fifth, then three more in the ninth to put the game away.

Jordy Mercer homered for Pittsburgh in the fifth to give the Pirates a lead, and Jung Ho Kang had the two-run double that capped a three-run rally in the ninth.

The Giants’ lineup was missing Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford and Hunter Pence as Bochy elected to give his heavy-use guys a day off.  Those absences boosted Liriano, who allowed the Giants fewer hits (4) than a trio of relievers that followed him in the final two frames (5). The late rally saw Belt produce a pinch-hit single and the Giants get the tying run to the plate, but the Pirates closed the door.

Reliever Mark Melancon came on with the bases loaded and one out, and he got Crawford and Nori Aoki to ground out to end the game.

The Pirates won for the 12^th time in their last 16 games while the Giants have dropped five straight for the second time this season.  The Dodgers lost in Denver to the Rockies 7-6 last night allowing the Giants to stay within two games of the NL West leaders.

On Thursday, the Giants visit President Obama at the White House for the third time in celebration of their 2014 World Series victory before they open a three-game series over the weekend in Philadelphia.