It’s down-to-the-last-out time again for the Cardinals after losing Game Four of the National League Championship Series, 6-4, Wednesday night. The Cards are perched on the brink of elimination, trailing the Giants 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.
In the meantime, that other Missouri baseball team defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 2-1, Wednesday to royally sweep the American League championship in four games. Fans hoping for a rematch of the 1985 St. Louis-Kansas City World Series should put on their rally caps.
Now.
Game Five starts at 7:07 p.m. Thursday at AT&T Park. Ace Adam Wainwright, who has struggled with elbow issues in the postseason, will try to revive the Redbirds. He will again face Giants ace Madison Bumgarner who shut out the Cardinals in Game One, while Wainwright was faltering.
Wainwright told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com that he’s eager to get back on the mound: “You know, until last year’s NLCS, I was undefeated in the postseason, and I just don’t want to get a bad rap for not being a good playoff pitcher.”
There were a few entertaining moments in Game Four for Cards fans: Kolten Wong hit a giant-sized solo home run to right field in the top of the third and made a stellar defensive play in the bottom of the inning. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski’s performance behind the plate was nothing short of dramatic after Travis Ishikawa’s bat glanced off his mask. The Fox Sports announcers were sure Pierzynski's “flop over” was a sales job for the ump.
Manager Mike Matheny gave reliever Randy Choate a second chance after he literally threw away Game Three. With one on and two out in the fourth inning, Choate walked a runner before he cleanly fielded the last out and tossed it safely to first-baseman Matt Adams. It was not deja vu all over again.
The Giants played small ball to take the lead in the sixth, scoring three runs on a series of singles, a sacrifice bunt and grounders that hamstrung the Cardinal infielders.
Both starting pitchers -- Shelby Miller for the Cards and Ryan Vogelsong for the Giants -- were pulled in the fourth inning.
2014 National League Championship Series
Game One: Saturday, Oct. 11, Busch Stadium. Final score: Cards 0, Giants 3
Game Two: Sunday, Oct. 12, Busch Stadium. Final score: Cards 5, Giants 4
Game Three: Tuesday, Oct. 14, AT&T Park. Final score: Cards 4, Giants 5
Game Four: Wednesday, Oct. 15, AT&T Park. Final score: Cards 4, Giants 6
Game Five: Thursday, Oct. 16, AT&T Park, 7:07 p.m. (Fox Sports 1)
Game Six (if necessary): Saturday, Oct. 18, Busch Stadium, 3:07 p.m. (FOX)
Game Seven (if necessary): Sunday, Oct. 19, Busch Stadium, 6:37 p.m. (Fox Sports 1)
Broadcast info: Fox Sports 1 is on Charter: channels 43 and 211 (SD), 811 (HD); ATT&T U-Verse: 652 (SD), 1652 (HD); Dish: 150; DirecTV: 219. Play-by-play by Mike Shannon and John Rooney on KMOX (1120 AM).
