Nationals Blow 6-Run Lead As Cardinals Advance To NLCS With 4-Run 9th Inning.
For the 2nd winner take all game, loser go holiday shopping game 5 for divisional series play in the MLB, the St. Louis Cardinals were back in Washington for their final game with the Nationals. Nats ALDS ace, Gio Gonzalez was tapped to hit the mound for game 5 with the Cards turning to Adam Wainwright.
After an impressive first inning displayed by Gonzalez at the mound against the Cards top of the order, the Nats proceeded to give their pitcher a sigh of relief with run support. Jayson Werth would double to left with a Bryce Harper triple to deep center as Werth scored. Ryan Zimmerman would homer to center bringing in Haper to give the Nats an early 3-0 lead.
Jumping to the bottom of 3rd inning, we would see Harper hit a homer to right center with Zimmerman doubling to deep right center to set up another potential score. Michael Morse would handle business homering to left center to bringing in Zimmerman to make it a 6-0 game. I thought the game was initially, as there was no way I could see Washington’s bullpen hit up from the Cards but the game wasn’t over.
In the next inning, the Cards would finally see run production as Carlos Beltran set things off with a walk then Matt Holiday doubled to left bringing in Beltran to give the red-birds their first score of the game. In the top of 5th, we would see more run production from St. Louis lineup as Daniel Descalso doubled to deep right and would later be drove in on a wild pitch Gio Gonzalez for another score. Gonzalez would walk Carlos Beltran, Shane Robinson, and Pete Kozma to load the bases and would ultimately give the Cards their third run of the game walking Allen Craig.
St. Louis would make shorten the score gap with Jon Jay being walked to start the 7th as Carlos Beltran followed with a double to right. Matt Holiday ground out bringing in Jay to make the game 6-4. In the top of the 9th as we still saw a 2-run game after a pair of scores from both teams in the 8th, we were ready to witness history.
Closer, Drew Storen, was called in to save the game from a potential loss and would not deliver. Carlos Beltran started the top of the 9th with a double to deep center. Yadier Molina and David Freese were both walked as the bases were loaded. Daniel Descalso would single to shallow center bringing in Beltran and Chambers (PR) to tie the game at 7 all. Freese would advance to third after the single and Descalso would steal second. Pete Kozma would single to right bringing in both runners to give the Cards their first lead of the game as the crowd in D.C. instantly became silenced and shocked their team would blow a 6-0 lead in a close out game. Jason Motte would come in for the Nats and close the game.
The Cards now head to San Francisco for an epic NLCS as they throw ace Lance Lynn to the mound to face Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner. Game 1 of the NLCS is Sunday at 8pm ET on FOX.