The party in Pittsburgh pooped out early. The San Francisco Giants saw to that.

Brandon Crawford became the first shortstop in postseason history to hit a grand slam and Madison Bumgarner pitched a four-hit shutout as the Giants advanced Thursday night to the National League Divisional Series with an 8-0 win over the Pirates.

Crawford smacked his home run in the fourth inning and the Pirates almost never touched anything Bumgarner threw. He struck out 10.

What an anticlimax after the Tuesday night drama in Kansas City in the American League eliminator, where the Royals kept coming from behind and defeated the Oakland Athletics 9-8 in 12 innings.

Pittsburgh was so alive on Tuesday, with a big street rally in honor of what the city was calling Buctober. Turned out to be a mighty short month.

Get ready for more baseball!

Two games on Thursday evening keep the postseason rolling. The Detroit Tigers open up at the Baltimore Orioles at 5:30 p.m. ET in the AL; the Royals take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anheim at 9 p.m. ET. Friday’s games: Tigers-Orioles, noon ET; Giants at Washington Nationals, 3 p.m. ET; St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers, 6:30 p.m. ET; Royals-Angels, 9:30 p.m. ET.

Today’s question

Who are you picking in the ALDS and the NLDS, and why?

Answers in the comment box, please.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .