CINCINNATI, Ohio -- A three-game sweep left the Pirates with 94 wins and home-field advantage for the wild-card playoff.

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- A three-game sweep left the Pirates with 94 wins and home-field advantage for the wild-card playoff. A. J. Pollock Diamondbacks Jersey . Now, its back home to PNC Park to get the post-season started. Quite a weekend, no? "The big thing about that is: It means absolutely nothing," outfielder Marlon Byrd said. "Everything youve done for 162 games now means absolutely nothing." Tell that to the revved-up Pirates fans ready to pack PNC Park on Tuesday night for their first playoff game in 21 years. The Pirates headed into the playoffs with a lot of momentum on Sunday, beating the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 in a game that was mostly an afterthought for teams looking ahead to their rematch in two days. "Im happy with where were at," said Pedro Alvarez, who had a chance to share the NLs home run title. "Obviously we have a lot to accomplish and get done, but weve gone out there and played some pretty good baseball. Weve just got to keep going." The Pirates and Reds have met five times in the playoffs: 1970, 1972, 1975, 1979 and 1990, when the Reds won their last World Series title. The wild-card matchup features right-hander Johnny Cueto (5-2), who is 8-2 career at PNC Park, against left-hander Francisco Liriano (16-8), who is 0-3 in four starts against Cincinnati this season. First, there was one game to finish the schedule, and it meant little to either team. Pittsburgh played mostly backups. Alvarez was in the lineup, giving him a chance to try to win the NL home run crown outright. He walked, was hit by a pitch and popped out, finishing the season tied with Arizonas Paul Goldschmidt at 36 homers. The last Pirate to lead the league in homers was Willie Stargell in 1973 with 44. "This is something extra," Alvarez said. "Im not worried about that at all." Reds manager Dusty Baker started his regulars but began substituting after the third inning. Corky Miller had a two-run double. The Reds dropped their last five games, matching their season high. "I dont think were worried about the way we finished the season," catcher Ryan Hanigan said. "I think everybodys excited about the opportunity. All of that is in the past. Everything is ahead of us." Jordy Mercer got the Pirates second inside-the-park homer of the season when right fielder Jay Bruce dived and missed his sinking liner in the second inning. Mercer also had a triple off Greg Reynolds (1-3) and scored twice. Garrett Jones homered for the Pirates, who hit nine in all during the series. Brandon Cumpton (2-1) gave up a pair of hits in five shutout innings. Kyle Farnsworth got his second save. On Tuesday, the Ohio River cities will add to a rivalry that has long been second-best for both cities. Cincinnati has its in-state grudge match with Cleveland. Pittsburgh also has a long-standing rivalry with Cleveland, a pair of steel cities that share a love for polkas and pierogies. Lately, the river rivalry has moved to the forefront. The Bengals beat the Steelers at Heinz Field last December to clinch the AFC North title and knock the Steelers out of the post-season. They signed one of Pittsburghs best players -- linebacker James Harrison -- as a free agent and beat the Steelers again in a Monday night game at Paul Brown Stadium this month. And now, its spilling over to baseball with an edgy series that got both cities attention during the summer -- 28 batters plunked overall, the most in the majors. All those hit batters have left a mark. It feels like a rivalry again. "I think weve gotten each others attention since Ive been here," said Clint Hurdle, in his third season as the Pirates manager. "I think theres a professional respect and theres a desire to go out and win. "I think the content of the games and the quality of the games over the past three years have probably led to that a little bit. Its kind of refreshing. Thats the way it was back when I was a kid watching these two teams play." The Reds are trying to get past the disappointment of their closing week. They clinched a playoff spot on Monday night, but went in to a batting slump that allowed the Pirates to get home-field advantage for the wild card. "As bad as things have been this weekend, we should be very happy and thankful that were going to Pittsburgh to play instead of being down and sad about whats transpired," Baker said. "Our goal is to go to Atlanta or St. Louis (in the division series) and then give our people some more games." NOTES: Alvarez also led the NL with 186 strikeouts. Bruce was second with 185. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips was out of the lineup with a bruised left shin, hit by a foul ball on Saturday. Hes expected to play on Tuesday. ... Joey Votto and Shin-Soo Choo finished first and second in the NL in on-base percentage. Votto led the NL in walks for the third straight season with a club-record 135. ... The Reds drew 2,492,059 fans for 80 home dates, a season record at Great American Ball Park. Paul Goldschmidt Diamondbacks Jersey . The closer wasnt available. The road trip, a disaster to that point. Luis Gonzalez Jersey . Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt and listen on TSN 690. The Canadiens have won three in a row and four of their last five games and recently put the finishing touches on a 3-1-0 road trip. http://www.diamondbacksteamproshop.com/diamondbacks-jake-lamb-jersey/ . Sure, Josh Browns 45-yard field goal on the third drive of overtime lifted the New York Giants to a 23-20 win over Detroit on Sunday. But the Lions (7-8) dropped themselves out of the NFC North race by losing five of their last six games, blowing fourth-quarter leads in each setback.LONDON -- Manchester United has brought the "Class of 92" back together. Renowned graduates of Uniteds most successful youth team have been put in control of a team in turmoil following the abrupt dismissal of David Moyes. A notable absentee is David Beckham, who has never expressed a desire for team management. If theres anyone who can unite what appears to be a disenchanted squad it is Ryan Giggs, assisted by retired former teammates Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville. "It will certainly be a different atmosphere in training and at Old Trafford and the fans will buy into it," Eric Harrison, the youth team coach who developed the "Class of 92," said Wednesday. "As soon as Ryan walks out the tunnel, the place will erupt." Even though Giggs is the oldest of the quartet at 40, the clubs most decorated player is the only one to feature in teams of both Ferguson and Moyes, who was fired after just 10 months on Tuesday. "I think for togetherness and getting the results and playing a certain way, a brand of football that is more eye-catching, the Man United way, I feel that Ryan Giggs is the right person," former United teammate Dwight Yorke said. With United searching for a more experienced successor for Moyes, Giggs has just four games to prove that the same football nous that enabled him to outwit opponents on the pitch for so many years also extends to the dugout. "Youve got to be natural as much as you can as a manager, find your own style, not try and be somebody else," Giggs told The Guardian newspaper during a recent Football Association coaching course. While cutting his teeth in the youth team, the Welsh winger was seen as setting the highest standards by the teammates now on his coaching staff. "Ryan Giggs was probably the one I looked up to the most," Neville told the BBC as a "Class of 92" documentary was released last year. While Giggs is yet to comment since being appointed interim coach, Harrison said the Welshman was delighted with the chance to manage alongside his "musketeers." "I used to call him a football nut because he took everything on board," Harrison told Talk Sport radio. Giggs, Scholes, Butt and Neville made 2,453 appearances in total for United and were iinstrumental in the exceptional success under Alex Ferguson, who retired last year after 26 trophy-filled years in charge. A. J. Pollock Jersey. Scholes, whose retirement coincided with Fergusons, has returned to United to help out Giggs, while Butt had been coaching with Uniteds under-19 and under-21 teams, and Neville was already part of Moyes staff. Even if they dont stay on at United when an experienced successor is hired as Moyes full-time replacement in the summer, the quartet already have another football club to occupy themselves with. Along with another former teammate, Nevilles brother Gary, they are buying Salford City, a non-league club in the Manchester area. Gary Neville and Giggs have also gone into business together, opening the "Cafe Football" next to Londons Olympic Park and "Hotel Football" is under construction opposite Old Trafford. The next game at Uniteds ground is against Norwich on Saturday as the 20-time English champions look to complete their pitiful season with just pride intact. Not only did they fail to defend the Premier League trophy, but the team is unable to finish in the top four Champions League places, currently sitting in seventh place. Failure to qualify for Europes top club competition ultimately cost Moyes his job. The ousted manager broke his silence on Wednesday to accept that results "have not been what Manchester United and its fans are used to or expect." "I both understand and share their frustration," he said in a statement released by the League Managers Association. Moyes was troubled that he first learned about his impending firing in the media rather than directly from the American-owned clubs hierarchy. "Throughout his time at United, David, as he always does, has conducted himself with integrity and professionalism, values that he believes in and that have been strongly associated with the club and its rich tradition," LMA chief executive Richard Bevan said. "It is therefore sad to see the end of Davids tenure at United being handled in an unprofessional manner." Louis van Gaal, who is leaving his position as Netherlands coach after the World Cup in Brazil and has previously coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich, is the favourite to succeed Moyes on a full-time basis. NFL Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Discount Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Jerseys NFL China NFL Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '