CINCINNATI - Hardly able to get a hit, the San Francisco Giants used a misplayed grounder to prolong their NL playoff series.
Third baseman Scott Rolen's two-out error in the 10th inning gave the Giants the go-ahead run Tuesday night in a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, who couldn't shake 17 years of home postseason futility.
The Giants avoided a sweep in Game 3, cutting their deficit to 2-1.
Rolen, an eight-time Gold Glove winner, couldn't come up with Joaquin Arias' short-hop grounder, bobbled it and threw late to first.
The Giants managed only three hits against Homer Bailey and Reds relievers, but got two of them in the 10th - along with a passed ball by Ryan Hanigan - to pull it out. San Francisco won despite striking out 16 times.
Cincinnati finished with four hits, just one after the first inning.
Bailey made his first start at Great American Ball Park since his Sept. 28 no-hitter in Pittsburgh and allowed only one hit in seven innings, the latest dominating performance by a Reds starter. Marco Scutaro singled in the sixth for the only hit off Bailey.
Fortunately for the Giants, Bailey's one lapse let to a run. He hit a batter, walked another and gave up a sacrifice fly by Angel Pagan in the third.
San Francisco's one-hit wonders finally got it going against Jonathan Broxton, who gave up leadoff singles by Buster Posey - the NL batting champion - and Hunter Pence, who pulled his left calf on a wild swing before getting his hit.
With two outs, Hanigan couldn't come up with a pitch, letting the runners advance. Arias' tough-chance grounder then put Rolen in a tough spot - charging the ball for a quick short-hop swipe. He couldn't come up with it cleanly, and Arias beat the throw.