A final line in the sand

Here it is: the Pirates are still in the playoff race on September 10th because the Cardinals and Dodgers have played bad baseball lately. This will not continue indefinitely through the end of the season, though I feel like the Pirates' slide might. This might be an unfair standard to apply, but I feel completely justified in doing so after this past weekend. 

So the Pirates have to pull out of this slump for real, which is something they've been trying and failing to do for a month now. Why should this time be different? I obviously have no real answers, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Wandy Rodriguez, who's been the Pirates' best pitcher recently, takes the mound. Mat Latos goes for the Reds, while the Cardinals play out in the Pirates' own personal house of horrors in San Diego tonight. The Reds have almost nothing to play for at this point. The Pirates have everything on the line. Let's hope that makes the difference. First pitch is at 7:10.