Cardinals vs. Brewers: Salas, Hawkins Preserve Score

Wednesday night's Game 3 of the NLCS featured Yovani Gallardo for the Brewers, and Chris Carpenter for the Cardinals. Or, to put it another way, Game 3 featured both the Brewers' and the Cardinals' staff aces. So one figures Ron Roenicke and Tony La Russa were expecting a little more than they got.

I say that because, with the score 4-3 St. Louis, both Carpenter and Gallardo were removed after five innings. Fernando Salas came out of the St. Louis bullpen to work the sixth, and he did a splendid job, working through the Brewers' 6-7-8 hitters on eight pitches.

Then LaTroy Hawkins came out of the Milwaukee bullpen, and he also turned in a scoreless inning, albeit a more stressful one. Hawkins surrendered a leadoff single to Allen Craig on his second pitch, and Craig advanced to second on a bunt. After Jon Jay flew out, Hawkins intentionally walked Albert Pujols to face Matt Holliday, and Hawkins got Holliday to swing through a fastball to end the threat.

So it's still 4-3 going to the seventh, and Lance Lynn is now in for the Cardinals.