This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 9, 2012 - The Cardinals booked their Happy Flight to Washington early in Game 2 of the National League Division Series Monday at Busch Stadium, and there were plenty of parting gifts -- including four rounds of homerun fireworks -- for Cardinal Nation in the 12-4 victory over the Nationals.
First baseman Allen Craig touched off the first round of pyrotechnics with a solo shot to left field in the third inning, and second baseman Daniel Descalso drove another to right field in the fourth.
Rightfielder Carlos Beltran belted a solo home run in the sixth inning and then belted a second one -- for two more runs -- in the eighth.
Blast off!
Centerfielder Jon Jay, who had a 3 RBI night, wowed the crowd of 45,840 in the sixth inning when he bounced off the centerfield wall to catch what would have been an extra-bases hit by Danny Espinosa of the Nationals.
(See the catch, and a smiling Joe Kelly, who made the pitch, here.)
And in between all the fun on the field, Jackson Straulin, 13, and his brother Jamison, 11, of Ballwin had some of their own during the seventh-inning stretch when their hand-lettered poster "12 in '12" made it to the big screen of the centerfield scoreboard.
The boys said they were hoping to get on the national broadcast of the game by TBS.
“We made one that said ‘11 in ’11’ last year. It was good luck last year,’’ said Jackson, as his family arrived at the stadium for the 3:37 p.m. game. The boys, who attend Selvidge Middle School, left school “a little early” in their quest for fame, acknowledged their mom Amy Straulin.
Though disappointed by Sunday’s 3-2 loss, a hopeful Cardinal Nation came back in force Monday to watch the Redbirds even the best-of-five division series.
Among the throng of red-clad fans at the pre-game pep rally was Kathy Davis of St. Ann who wore an old No. 5 Cardinals jersey that she had altered to read “Pujols Who?”
“I decided to wear it today because we’re in the playoffs, and he’s not. If he’d stayed with us, he’d be here,” said Davis, who added. “I still love him.”
Davis said she is still deciding on a replacement jersey, and was deciding between a Pete Kozma No. 38 or David Freese No. 23.
Both had a good night: Kozma, the rookie shortstop, had one hit and scored twice; third baseman Freese doubled, scored one run and drove in another.
Lance Lynn earned the win after taking over for starter Jaime Garcia who left the game after the second inning because of shoulder issues. (Click here for more on the game, and here for Garcia’s comments on his injury.)
NLDS Game 3
When: Noon, Wednesday at Nationals Park in Washington
On the mound: Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals vs. Edwin Jackson for the Nationals
