Chris Carpenter, Allen Craig steer St. Louis Cardinals to 3-2 win over Texas Rangers – MLB Update
St. Louis Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa remained adamant to his plan for the World Series as his team edged the Texas Rangers 3-2 in Game 1 of the Fall Classic at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri on Wednesday, October 19.
As soon as the Cardinals registered a lead in the sixth inning, La Russa took the ball from his ace Chris Carpenter and employed his resourceful bull-pen to ensure that the Redbirds fly through safely. The only time that the Rangers managed to score was
in the fifth inning, when catcher Mike Napoli whacked Carpenter for a two run home-run down right-field to allow Adrian Beltre a run and thus draw level with the Cardinals.
Earlier, Lance Berkman drove in a two-run single towards right-field to allow Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday a run each in the fourth inning. Rangers’ starter C.J. Wilson had failed to make his mark in the postseason and was upbeat to transpose that record,
but the outcome was similar. Now, Wilson has dropped three games in four starts this year and it still remains to be seen if manager Ron Washington employs him again in this series.
Before the Rangers could build on their momentum from the fifth inning, Allen Craig showed immense nerves in the sixth inning to drive in a single for National League Championship Series’ Most Valuable Player David Freese and push the Cardinals one-run ahead
of the American League Champions.
Thereafter, Jason Motte and company were sufficient to control the game and gain a handy lead in the seven-game classic.
It was Carpenter’s magical spell of six innings and Craig’s RBI in the sixth inning that sealed the game for the Wild Card entrants and the National League Champions. After overcoming the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Division Series eliminator, Carpenter
allowed just two runs in his spell, striking-out four batters in the process to finish at a 3.00 ERA.
Rangers’ bull-pen rose to the challenge of defying their opponents, but the damage done to Wilson was irreparable. Jason Motte pitched a perfect ninth under immense pressure to save the game for the Cardinals and ensure a 1-0 lead for his team, especially
before the series moves to Rangers Ballpark after Game 2.
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