Home Cooking and Late-Inning Dramatics Send Redbirds to World Series

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Game 1, October 11, 2014 at St. Louis – Matt Holliday went 4 for 5 with a double, home run and 3RBI as the Cardinals captured game 1 with a 7-3 score. The Redbirds struck quickly in the B1 scoring 3 on a 2-run double by Matt Adams and an RBI single from Kolten Wong. Pittsburgh got them all back with single runs in the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th innings. One on a wild pitch, another on a free pass with bases loaded and one from Andrew McCutchen’s RBI single. Cardinals starter Lance Lynn was chased after just 3.2 IP, and replaced by Shelby Miller (1-1). Miller, Seth Maness and Pat Neshek would blank the Bucs the rest of the way. Meanwhile, St. Loo took the lead for good in the 6^th when Pete Kozma scored on an IF groundout and Holliday doubled home Jon Jay. Holliday’s (1) 400-foot bomb to CF with a man on in the 8^th sealed the deal.

Game 2, October 12, 2014 at St. Louis – It was a classic night in all respects (if you're a 

fan of the home team). The St. Louis early autumn weather was a classic 70 degrees and clear. It was a classic, festive, bright red atmosphere at Busch Stadium for the Fall Classic. The starting pitchers – Edinson Volquez for the Pirates and Michael Wacha for the Redbirds – each went 6+ innings in classic-duel fashion. It only needed a classic ending, and Cardinal’s Nation was not disappointed. With the score tied 2-2 and 2 outs in the bottom of the 9^th Yadier Molina met a Mark Melancon (0-1) 2-0 heater and sent it deep into the night for a 3-2 walk-off classic. Jhonny Peralta’s sac fly plated Matt Carpenter in the 1^st to give St. Louis the lead. The Buccos answered in the 3^rd when Travis Snider’s singled scored Ike Davis. Peralta’s (2) solo smash leading off the 4^th put the Cardinals up 2-1. It stayed that way until the 8^th when Russell Martin singled in Jose Tabata. Trevor Rosenthal (1-0) recorded 2 outs in the T9^th and was credited with the win.

Game 3, October 14, 2014 at Pittsburgh – A change of scenery is what the Bucs needed, and the river-front setting of PNC Park was just the elixir the doctor ordered. The Pirates battered St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright (1-1) for 5 runs on 8 hits over 5 innings and cruised to a 6-1 victory. Russell Martin (3 hits, 2RBI) and 2B Neil Walker (2B, HR, 2R, 3RBI) did most of the damage offensively. Pittsburgh plated 3 in the 1^st. Walker doubled home a pair and Martin sent Walker home with a base knock. The home club added 2 more in the 5^th on RBI singles from McCutchen and Martin. The visitor’s notched their lone run in the T5 on a Molina RBI single. Walker’s solo blast in the 7^th put the icing on the cake. Jeff Locke (1-0) replaced SP Francisco Liriano in the middle of the 5^th, tossed 2 2/3 innings of 2-hit shutout ball for the W.

Game 4, October 15, 2014 at Pittsburgh – Jordy Mercer and Travis Snider keyed a

couple of 3-run innings for the Pirates as they evened the series with a 6-2 win. With St. Louis leading 2-0 in the 4^th, the Bucs loaded the bases with 1 out when Davis hit a fly to LF and Walker scampered home safely on a close play at the play. Martin and Starling Marte were able to advance to 3^rd and 2^nd. Mercer then drove both in with a single. The Bucs tripled their pleasure again in the 6^th with Josh Harrison plating Gregory Polanco with a single and Snider bringing in 2 more with his base knock. Vance Worley (2-0) started and won for Pittsburgh. John Lackey (0-1) started and lost for St. Louis.

Game 5, October 16, 2014 at Pittsburgh – Garrit Cole (2-0) was nearly unhittable as he yielded just 2 hits in 7 innings of work. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh offense took advantage of everything given to them, taking a 3-2 series lead with an 8-3 win. McCutchen (3 hits, 4RBI) was the early hitting star for the Bucs with an RBI single in the 4^th and a 2-run double in the 5^th. The Cardinals completely crumbled in the B7^th. Neshek started the inning, gave up a single to Mercer, and felt a twinge in his back. He was removed for precautionary reasons (later tests revealed he could be ready to play again back in St. Louis). In a true brain-fart moment (maybe the bullpen phones weren’t working?), Redbirds manager Bruce Thomas brought in a tired Miller. He walked Chris Stewart. Harrison (2 hits, 3R, 3RBI) then buried a 3-run shot deep into the LCF seats. Marco Gonzalez took the hill, fanned Snider then surrendered a solo shot to McCutchen down the LF line. Marte would double in Martin before the carnage was done and the 5-run explosion left the home folks delirious with an 8-0 margin. The Cardinals saved some face, and perhaps built some momentum to head back to Gateway City, when Peralta hit a 3-run tater in the 8^th.

Game 6, October 18, 2014 at St. Louis – Trailing 2-1 heading to the B9, the Cardinals found a way to come back, plating 2 runs, including another Molina walk-off winner. St. Louis sent the series to a game 7 final with a 3-2 squeaker. Volquez and Wacha again matched up on the mound, and both pitched very well. St. Louis dented the scoreboard in the 2^nd when Peter Bourjos hit a 2-out single scoring Wong. Pittsburgh fought back with single runs in the 4^th and 5^th on sacrifice flies by Martin and Mercer, respectively. The score remained 2-1 Pirates as both clubs went to the bullpen. Pat Neshek (3-0) showed he was again healthy with a perfect T9 for St.L. Melancon (0-2) took the ball in the B9 hoping to send his club to the World Series. It was not to be. Holliday walked on a close 3-2 pitch. Peralta followed with a double down the line off the LF wall. Holliday raced home to tie it, and Peralta beat the cut-off play to 3rd. Adams was passed intentionally. Molina then showed why he earned the series MVP award with a sharp single into left.    

Game 7, October 19, 2014 at St. Louis – Few things are more dramatic than a Game 7 in sports. And these two clubs left it all on the field for this one after 6 grueling games played already. The St. Louis manager was already rewarded in his decision to hold back his ace from pitching on 3-days rest in a do-or-die game six. Now, could Adam Wainwright (2-1) live up to the billing? Pittsburgh would send Locke (1-1), the winner of game 3, to bump. Once again, hits seemed to come at a premium price at Busch (so did the beer, btw). There was no scoring until the T4 when the Bucs Snider led off with a double and scored on a Martin base hit. The Cardinals took the lead in the 6^th when Carpenter and Jay led off with bases on balls. Holliday plated Carpenter with a base knock that tied the score. Peralta walked to load the bases, and Locke was sent to the locker room. Justin Wilson climbed the hill for the visitors and struck out Adams. He then uncorked a wild pitch that brought Jay in with what would prove to be the game-winner. The two clubs battled on with the score still an air-tight 2-1. The Bucs came closest to scoring in the T8 with runners at 1^st and 3^rd and 1 away. Sam Freeman took over for Wainwright and fanned Tabata. Maness entered and got McCutchen to fly out to shallow center. Maness started the 9^th and retired Walker himself on a 1-3 come-backer. Rosenthal then was summoned and recorded his 3^rd save of the post-season, getting Martin to ground out to second and setting off a wild celebration after whiffing Marte. The Redbirds now await the winner of the ALCS.
--submitted by Bruce Thomas--