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Come Fan with UsSunday, June 21, 2026

Cardinals vs. Rangers: A Pair Of Wild Aces

We're through two innings in Game 1 of the World Series, and there isn't any score. The Cardinals and the Rangers feature two of the best offenses in baseball, but so far they've been held in check, or at least kept off the board. With that said, it's hard to say that either Chris Carpenter or C.J. Wilson have pitched particularly well so far. Why?

Carpenter: 14 strikes, 15 balls
Wilson: 15 strikes, 15 balls

Four combined half-innings, and one more ball than strike. The weather is nasty in St. Louis, by which I mean it’s cold and windy, so maybe that’s having an effect, but unless these aces get things turned around in short order, we could be in line for more of the same extended bullpen work with which we grew familiar during the previous round.

Amazing how generating a bunch of ground balls can allow a struggling pitcher to get by, though.

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