IT'S A MID-SEPTEMBER day, the record setting start time temperture of 82 degrees seems to set the tone for face off between the two teams that are in a head to head heated race for the wildcard. To play an out of division team that is in the same hunt for the wildcard this late in the season is a rarity, a gift, their fates placed in their own hands. Both teams take the field with hopeful dreams of playoff baseball in October.

ON A BALMY Sunday afternoon the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals face off in the last game of a four game series. The Giants had won the first two games, but the Cardinals stole the third game with a heart-breaking collapse of the bullpen in the ninth inning. The name "Casilla" became a dirty word in many a household throughout the Bay Area that night.

But today is a new day and like they say, fans and players alike must have a short memory. Albert Saurez with his 3-3 record and 4.18 ERA faces off against a young right hander Alex Reiss.

With the Dodgers five games ahead, the Western divisional title seems like a distant dream, but the wild card is very much a reality. The Giants are tied with the Mets for the first wildcard, but the Cardinals are right on their heels.

It's a must win for either team if they want to continue to play baseball into October.

EQUIPMENT USED: Fujifilm XT1 and Fujifilm 35mm f2, 23mm f1.4 and 50-230mm lenses.

ABOVE. DREAMING OF OCTOBER. Two fans, one a Giants' fan, the other a Cardinals' fan. Though fans of different teams, both dream of October baseball. Shot at f2.2, 1/3000, and ISO 200 in Classic Chrome.