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MLB: San Francisco 8, Cincinnati 3

San Francisco Giants' Pablo Sandoval slides into third base on a sacrifice fly in the first inning of game 4 of their NL Divisional Playoffs at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Oh, on October 10, 2012. UPI/Mark Cowan
1 of 4 | San Francisco Giants' Pablo Sandoval slides into third base on a sacrifice fly in the first inning of game 4 of their NL Divisional Playoffs at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Oh, on October 10, 2012. UPI/Mark Cowan | License Photo

CINCINNATI, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Pablo Sandoval went 3-for-4 with three RBI Wednesday, powering San Francisco to a National League Division Series-evening 8-3 victory over Cincinnati.

Sandoval's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning extended the Giants' lead to 5-2 and he capped the scoring with a mammoth, two-run homer in the seventh as San Francisco forced a fifth and deciding game in the NLDS.

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Angel Pagan also went deep and added a run-scoring double, while Gregor Blanco clubbed a two-run shot as the Giants banged out 11 hits in the victory.

Tim Lincecum (1-0) hurled 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball after coming in as a reliever to earn the win for the NL West champions, who took a second straight in Cincinnati after dropping the series' first two contests at home.

Mike Leake (0-1) -- who started in place of injured Reds ace Johnny Cueto -- was roughed up for five runs on six hits in a 4 1/3-inning effort.

Ryan Ludwick socked a solo homer for Cincinnati, which was backed into a winner-take-all contest Thursday at Great American Ball Park.

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