The Cardinals have led the Washington Nationals throughout Game 1 of the NLDS, even though they haven’t really done anything. They haven’t had an extra-base hit, and their two runs came on a wild pitch and a sac fly after Gio Gonzalez walked the bases loaded.
Cards blow chance to add on in the 7th, cling to 2-1 lead
The closest they came to an extra-base hit was when Daniel Descalso drove a ball to the warning track in the sixth inning, but Jayson Werth made a great catch against the wall
In the bottom of the seventh, though, the Cardinals had a great chance to help themselves against reliever Craig Stammen. Jon Jay opened the inning by reaching on a tough error from Adam LaRoche, Carlos Beltran followed that with a line-drive single, and Matt Holliday was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no one out, bringing up cleanup hitter Allen Craig.
The Nationals brought in Ryan Mattheus to face Craig, who grounded in to a force, shortstop to home. Yadier Molina followed that with a first-pitch double play. That’s how you go from bases loaded and no one out, to out of the inning without a run scoring. Take it away, Sam:
Ryan Mattheus is the first pitcher in postseason history (21st overall) to pitch one inning and throw two pitches.
— Sam Miller (@SamMillerBP) October 7, 2012
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