St. Louis Cardinals’ Chris Carpenter fails to get support from bull-pen – MLB Update
St. Louis Cardinals’ ace and starter Chris Carpenter failed to give his team an advantage in the World Series, failing to get a decision and thus seeing the Texas Rangers win 4-2 in Game 5 of the Fall Classic and take a 3-2 lead in the seven-game Fall Classic.
The Rangers lost to San Francisco Giants in five-games during last year’s edition, but have gone a step ahead this year and are now just a win away from becoming the undisputed champion of Major League Baseball. Prior to last year, the Rangers had never
won a pennant, but their second successive trip to the World Series has made them a force to reckon.
Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa had reiterated the proposition that the only pitcher who could win Game 5 for the Redbirds was Carpenter, but this did not materialise in the game. Carpenter was at his usual best from the mound, allowing two runs amid six
hits from seven innings to keep the home-team at bay. However, Octavio Dotel’s tame pitching in the eighth inning saw the Rangers unglue him for two runs from just nine pitches to regain advantage in the game.
It was catcher Mike Napoli yet again who did the magic for the Rangers, producing a two-run double to right-field to allow Michael Young and Nelson Cruz a run and thus virtually seal the game.
In what proved to be a fatal move, La Russa brought on Dotel instead of Marc Rzepczynski, who eventually replaced the former to halt the flow of runs. Jason Motte regained his form in the depth for the Cardinals, but it was Dotel who lost the game for the
Cardinals on the road.
Commenting on the loss, Lance Berkman said, "We did have a lot of chances. But for whatever reason, we didn't capitalize. I think they left 10 or 11 men on base, too, but they got the big hit when they needed it and won the game."
Carpenter did the most he could have done, but it was the bull-pen that cost his team the game. Rangers’ starter C.J. Wilson, on the contrary, had a completely opposite night and was supported by his bull-pen like never before.
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