Cardinals Beat Phillies 5-3, Send Division Series To Game 5

The Phillies stranded leadoff baserunners against Jackson in the fifth and sixth, with the latter frame including a phenomenal defensive play by Albert Pujols. Again, I’m not going to describe it - you can just watch it for yourself:

Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Freese supplied some insurance. With one on and two out, Freese slaughtered a pitch way out to straightaway center, the ball landing on the grassy batter’s eye beyond the fence for a two-run dinger.

The Phillies came into the eighth inning down by three runs and running out of outs. With Michael Martinez on second base, Chase Utley grounded a pitch down the first-base line.Right down the first-base line. Exactly down the first-base line. Enough to hit the bag, pop up in the air, and allow Utley to reach on a single. I could .gif that, but I’m running out of steam, so here’s the same thing, just in a different game.

Pujols didn’t put his hand on his hip all sassy-like, so this one’s better. Trust me. But the play put runners at first and third with one out. Martinez eventually scored on a wild pitch to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 5-3.

During CC Sabathia’s last start, I wondered if it was his last start as a Yankee. It probably wasn’t, but I like to -- how do the French say? -- troll.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has produced his lineup for this evening’s Game 4 against the St. Louis Cardinals, for a contest the Phillies would like to win and the Cardinals must, or be eliminated from this Division Series.

1. Jimmy Rollins#, ss

2. Chase Utley*, 2b

3. Hunter Pence, rf

4. Ryan Howard*, 1b

5. Shane Victorino#, cf

6. Raul Ibanez*, lf

7. Placido Polanco, 3b

8. Carlos Ruiz, c

9. Roy Oswalt, rhp