Chris Carpenter lauded for his exceptional outing in Game 3 of NLDS – NLDS Update
St. Louis Cardinals' manager Mike Matheny on Wednesday, October 10, lauded Chris Carpenter for his exceptional performance in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, helping the team beat the Washington Nationals 8-0.
Chris Carpenter, who until two months back was not even sure of pitching this season after the supposedly season-ending surgery, remained incredibly effective on the mound, not allowing any run in his 5.2 innings.
Carpenter’s outing, beyond any shadow of a doubt, remains one of the best in this year’s National League Division Series. It came against one of the finest teams of the National League, the Washington Nationals.
“It's hard to believe not too long ago that they took a rib from this guy," Matheny said. "And as soon as they did, he was still talking about how he was going to help this club. ... [It's] just beyond words the amount of respect that everybody in that clubhouse has for him."
Exhibiting remarkable persistence and consistency, Carpenter was back in the roster. He was brought in the line-up in a very crucial game. Challenging as the task was, it could prove to be utterly disastrous as well, given the fact that he might not have the kind of preparation after the surgery required to be on the mound in the playoffs.
However, Carpenter proved his choice right. Phenomenally effective, the Cardinals' starter held the Nationals' batters at-bay, having had two strike-outs in the game and not allowing any run to pave the way for victory.
"No matter if I've got one start, no starts or 35 starts, the bottom line is, you go out there on the mound and make pitches and eliminate all of the distractions," Carpenter said of the season wherein he saw being out of the line-up due to Tommy John surgery. "I was able to do that, for the most part, today."
With the win, the Cardinals now have a 2-1 lead in the five-game NLDS. The World Series champions are now a game away from winning this year’s NLDS, inching closer to National League Championship Series and subsequently to the World Series – again.
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