I don’t remember Bud Selig’s announcement that there would be an NLCS game played on the moon. You’d think that would have been a bigger news story.
Brewers vs. Cardinals: Albert Pujols Hits Long Homer, Cards Up 9-4
After two-plus innings of playoff baseball on Sunday, there have been six home runs already. Shaun Marcum was probably really positive and optimistic at one point before the game. He was wrong. Everyone's hitting dingers off everyone, and no one is safe.
Chris Narveson came in to relieve Marcum, and he had a chance to be a folk hero. "Remember that time when Narveson threw six innings of scoreless relief in the NLCS?" That was a real possibility. It would have been a very baseball thing to happen.
But when you think of the ultimate lopsided pitcher/hitter match-up in baseball, it has to be Chris Narveson vs. Albert Pujols. I'm pretty sure that's it. It's not that Narveson is the worst pitcher in the game -- far from it. But he has the right combination of "around the plate" and "lackluster stuff" that seems like a poor match for Albert Pujols' "very good baseballing."
Pujols’ homer is the kind of home run they’ll engrave on the wall of a space shuttle to let alien civilizations know what a home run is. It might have been the hardest hit ball of the season, a line drive that was almost still ascending when it went over the fence. That guy is going to make a million dollars this offseason, easy. Maybe two.
After the solo home run, Matt Holliday singled, and David Freese doubled him to third. The Brewers intentionally walked Yadier Molina, but Nick Punto avoided the double play grounder, flying out to right field instead. Holliday just beat Corey Hart's throw, and the Cards went up 7-4.
Then with two outs and LaTroy Hawkins in, Allen Craig chopped a 46-hopper through the middle of the diamond, and the Cardinals took a commanding 9-4 lead. Also of note: LaTroy Hawkins is still an active major leaguer.
Instead of Narveson being a folk hero, he’s an ex-pitcher, at least for the rest of Game 6. While it seems like the Cards are well on their way to another World Series, there are probably still a couple dozen runs or so that still haven’t been scored.
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