Back in the
playoffs for the first time since 2015
Philip Pfeifer
Jersey, the St. Louis Cardinals look as gritty as ever.The Atlanta Braves
also started down a familiar path.Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong each hit two-run
doubles in the ninth inning as the Cardinals overcame shaky defense and a wild
finish to extend Atlantas postseason misery, holding off the Braves 7-6 in Game
1 of the NL Division Series on Thursday night.Article continues below ...The
Cardinals fell behind 3-1 _ hurt by their normally reliable defense. But Paul
Goldschmidt homered in the eighth, sparking a two-run outburst that tied it 3.
In the ninth, the Cardinals blew it open against Braves closer Mark
Melancon.Dexter Fowler and Tommy Edman singled before Goldschmidt walked on four
pitches to load the bases with one out. Melancon got ahead of Ozuna with two
quick strikes, only to give up a liner just inside the third-base bag that put
St. Louis ahead for the first time. Wong finished off Melancon with another
two-run double, this one down the right-field line
Ender Inciarte
Jersey.These are fun, exciting games, said Matt Carpenter, who came through
with a pinch-hit bloop single off Melancon to tie the game in the eighth. Every
out, every pitch is important. Theres a lot of adrenaline involved, but thats
what you play for, thats why youre here.During a run of nine playoff appearances
from 2004-15, the Cardinals were known for their postseason heroics, most
notably rallying for a dramatic World Series win over Texas in 2011.This team
looks ready to follow in that mold.The Braves are stuck in a nightmare that
seems to repeat itself every October.Atlanta has lost nine straight playoff
series and is just one away from tying the Chicago Cubs record for postseason
futility _ 10 postseason losses in a row between 1908 and 2003. Atlanta has not
won a postseason series since 2001, and hasnt even led a series since going up
2-1 on San Francisco in the 2002 NLDS. The Giants won the next two games to
advance.To their credit, the Braves didnt go quietly in their half of the ninth.
Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a two-run homer off Carlos Martinez, and Freddie Freeman
added a solo shot. But Martinez got the final two outs to claim a shaky win and
put the Cardinals head in the best-of-five series going into Game 2 Friday. St.
Louis ace Jack Flaherty goes against Mike Foltynewicz.Weve played all season
expecting to win those type games, Freeman said. You give up that kind of lead,
it tough to swallow. The Braves snapped a 1-1 tie in the sixth when Dansby
Swanson slashed a wicked one-hopper that bounced off the chest of third baseman
Edman. The ball deflected to shortstop Paul DeJong, who had a chance to get a
force at second base for the third out. But the throw to Wong was a bouncer, the
ball shooting off his glove for an error as two runs scored.Wong also messed up
an attempted backhanded toss for an error in the first, helping the Braves grab
a 1-0 lead.It was totally uncharacteristic for a Cardinals team that led the
majors during the regular season with just 66 errors and a
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fielding percentage.In the end, it didnt matter.ACUNAS BLUNDERAcuña, playing for
the first time since Sept. 24 after resting a sore left hip, may have cost the
Braves an important run in the seventh by hot-dogging on a towering drive down
the right-field line.Apparently thinking it was a homer, the 21-year-old slugger
jogged halfway to first carrying his bat before seeing the ball bounce off the
wall. He wound up with only a single _ a reminder of a similar play in August
which led manager Brian Snitker to yank the youngster out of a game against the
Dodgers.He should have been on second, Snitker said. Were kind of short-handed
to do anything about it right there.Acuña eventually made it to second on a
groundout
Hoyt
Wilhelm Jersey, only to get doubled off on Josh Donaldsons liner to end the
inningTRAINERS ROOMCardinals RHP Michael Wacha (right shoulder tightness) was
left off the postseason roster, but manager Mike Shildt said hes moving forward
in hopes of being available later in the postseason should St. Louis advance.
Wacha is expected to play catch soon before possibly advancing to a light
bullpen session.Braves RHP Chris Martin left without throwing a pitch in the
eighth after reporting tightness in his left oblique while warming up. The
Braves were forced to call in Luke Jackson, who was greeted with Goldschmidts
homer and would up being charged with both runs that inning
Cole Hamels Jersey.
We had the whole thing set up right where we wanted it, Snitker said. That was a
big blow. Atlanta could replace Martin on the roster before Game 2, but he would
have to sit out the rest of the series as well as the NL Championship Series
should the Braves advance.
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