Brian Wilson

It seemed all but over. The Giants were leading 4-1 with two innings to go.

San Francisco has one of the best bullpens in baseball, but there came the Atlanta Braves, and in the blink of an eye, the game was tied.

It marked the second time that night a team came back from a 4-0 deficit to win the game, as the Braves eventually won 5-4 in 11 innings thanks to a home run by Rick Ankiel.

Now the series moves back to Georgia tied at one.

The Atlanta Braves couldn't get anything started against the San Francisco Giants' vaunted pitching staff, so the home-standing Gents took an admittedly unorthodox approach.

They decided to start the Bravos' offense themselves—not the wisest thing to do for your World Series aspirations, but it sure makes for an exciting night of baseball.

And another significant challenge for emerging southpaw Jonathan Sanchez.

It took until the last day of the season, but the Giants won the NL West. Their reward? A first round match-up against the Atlanta Braves.

The Braves will have a massive emotional investment in the postseason with Bobby Cox retiring at the year's end, and it gets no easier if they win. With a dynamic Reds offense and an uber-talented Phillies team waiting next round, a World Series victory seems a distant hope.

They're back. After a seven-year absence from the postseason, the Giants hosting the wild-card wining Atlanta Braves in an upcoming Division Series. It has been a roller coaster of a season for the team by the bay.

In early July the Giants were in fourth place in the NL West and 4.5 games back. Then, after taking a three game lead, they dropped two to San Diego (SD was 12-6 this season against SF) and had to go to the final game of the season to clinch their berth. But they did it—and hope to follow it up with a World Series ring.

In a Bleacher Report Community effort, the top Featured Columnists for MLB's top teams have come together to give the fans a thorough understanding of what to expect when your ace succumbs to playoff pressure, putting a close game in the hands of your bullpen.

Each Bleacher Report Featured Columnist has been a fan of their team, as have you, for as long as possible.

In speaking with these writers, they understand the history as well as the current state and future prospects for their bullpen.

When the San Diego Padres beat the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, they guaranteed that the three-game series against the San Francisco Giants to end the year would be meaningful.

Exactly how meaningful remains to be seen, as the Giants continue to play good baseball.

With their own victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the good guys maintained their two-game lead on the Friars in the loss column.

The saying goes good pitching beats good hitting. It's actually more than a saying. It's a reality. If you have a dominant pitcher on his game, there is not a hitter on the planet that can hit him.

Painting the black. Hitting your spots. Changing speeds.

It is something the Giants pitching staff has done very well for the past 18 games. They have not allowed more than three runs in a game since September 4.

By the time the San Francisco Giants take the field in Colorado Friday night, there will be nine regular season games left.

I'm not sure there is anything regular about them. In these remaining games, the Giants will face the Colorado Rockies who are very much in the hunt AND the division leading San Diego Padres.

Through today (9/23), the Rockies are 3.0 games out of first place, and dropping three in a row to Los Angeles and Arizona.

The Giants and Rockies clash for three games over the weekend. If you are starting to see a trend here, you nailed it.

Perhaps you remember several years ago when rock band Green Day released their hit album American Idiot (I happen to because it was the first one I ever bought). Anyway, one of the songs was titled “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” As the title suggests, the song yearns for the supposedly dreadful month to end and for October to begin.

Well, Billie Joe Armstrong must not be a huge baseball fan, because September on the diamond is epic.

Brian Wilson leads the National League in saves at 39. He has been one of the most consistent closers in all of baseball. 

Consistent you ask?

Well Brian's version of closing in consistent in a different way than you think. 

Giants fans are witnesses to this.

Almost every time he is asked to save a game, he starts off by putting men on base. Whether he walks them, or gives up a hit, he is always making Giants fans nervous.