St. Louis Cardinals’ Allen Craig’s performance key against Houston Astros – MLB News
As the St. Louis Cardinals are bracing for the three-game series against the Houston Astros, starting from Tuesday, September 18, the Redbirds look to Allen Craig to execute with perfection every batting plan the way he did in the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Called ‘the most important game of the season’ by the Cardinals' manager Mike Matheny, Sunday’s game wherein the Cardinals won 5-2 win put St. Louis back in the Wild Card race. The Cardinals had to work for 12 innings to achieve that.
It was Allen Craig whose remarkable contribution on that made the victory possible for the Cardinals. With first RBI double in the game and then an RBI single in the three-run 12th inning, Craig rekindled the hopes for the Cardinals, making a 5-2 win possible.
St. Louis Cardinals are defending the World Series title they won the past year after beating the Texas Rangers. The Cardinals have a lot to learn from the experience they had in 2011, especially the stint in the playoffs.
"I think last year's postseason helped everyone," Matheny said. "Sabermetricians might [disagree], but I think there are certain guys who perform in those situations. [World Series MVP David] Freese and Craig have shown the ability to get the big RBI."
One of the players that figures prominently in the Cardinals’ rise, undeniably, is Craig. Having a .355 average in 197 career at-bats, Craig is an invaluable asset for the Redbirds.
"I feel like I've always had a good approach with runners in scoring position, even in the Minor Leagues," he said. "Definitely, doing it on the biggest stage, in the playoffs and World Series, added to my confidence. That helped a lot of guys out. It's always something we can look back on and get some confidence from."
Allen Craig’s rise and excellent performance will help a great deal in the coming games to keep the Cardinals in the Wild Card race. Although Cincinnati Reds are comfortably sitting atop the National League Central, Cardinals will be a tough team to reckon with once they have made it into the playoffs.
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