Cards-Dodgers Game 1 Live Blog

Alright, it's 8:25 according to my computer, meaning we are just over 10 minutes away from the Cardinals' postseason.

I'll do my best to keep up with the action and will being responding to and featuring some of your comment in this blog. Apparently the game will be starting over on TNT due to the length of the Yankees-Twins game, so excuse me while I try to figure out what channel TNT is here in the office.

8:30 -- Big thanks to Kevin Winters Morriss for the assist on finding TNT. Looks like we've got Dick Stockton and Bob Brenley (please forgive the name spelling) in the booth. And I'm not kidding. I feel like Hubie Brown should calling the game with Stockton as well just for entertainment purposes. Brown would probably start calling for Joe Torre or Tony LaRussa to call a timeout at some point though, so this is probably for the best.

8:33 -- **Bob Brenly. (Googled it during the commercial break. I got Stockton right.)

8:36 -- Yadi is in the starting lineup. Good to see.

Buck says: "I am glad to see colby in there over ankiel."

Indeed.

First Inning

8:38 -- Schumaker walks to start things for the Cardinals. I really wish Al Hrabosky was here to tell us that teams often score when the leadoff batter walks.

8:40 -- I was going to post that I couldn't believe Schumaker only has two stolen bases. Then Brendan Ryan hit a ground-rule double. I'm not as concerned about the steals anymore.

8:41 -- Am I the only one who thinks the intentional walk to Pujols is a bit strange here so early. Brenly seems to think it was obvious. I'm not convinced. Here's looking at you, Holliday.

8:43 -- Holliday strikes out looking. Maybe he'll be worth a few less million in the offseason?!?! (Sigh. Moving on.)

8:49 -- Long at-bat for Ludwick. (These are the kind of expert points I'll be making throughout the postseason.) He eventually pops up to the shallow outfield and the Dodgers let the ball fall. 1-0 Cards.

Buck says: "what a break"

Indeed, again.

8:51 -- Yadier Molina is up. I somehow refrained from wearing my Yadi jersey to work today, then a co-worker showed up in a Dodgers jersey. I won't be making that mistake again. :)

8:52 -- Yadi hits into a double play to end the inning. Could've been a better start, could've been much worse. Cards settle for 1-0 lead. Should be more than enough offense for Chris Carpenter, right?

Forum thread about the game here: http://semoball.com/forums/cardinals/thread/460

8:55 -- Rafeal Furcal gets a hit to start things off for the Dodgers. I think it's a testament to my faith in Carpenter that I'm hardly concerned. Not saying that's necessarily a good thing, it just is.

8:58 -- OK, now I'm concerned. Matt Kemp homers. 2-1 Dodgers. Sports clerk-extraordinaire Jordan Seabaugh just asked if I could delete my last post. I can. But I won't.

drawmules says: "He's not pitching a shutout tonight."

Doesn't seem likely at this point, no. Ugh. Moving along.

9:01 -- After Manny makes an out, James Loney singles. I'm officially shifting into Carpenter-will-settle-down-after-the-first-inning mode.

9:03 -- Another base hit? Can someone verify that this is actually happening? I am watching on a very small TV screen? You guys seeing something different than me?

9:05 -- Ronnie Belliard just struck out to end the inning. Just had a flashback to 2006 thinking about Belliard. This is a good thing.

Nighthawk2005 says: "That's a difficult start."

Yes, but I guess it could have been better for the Dodgers as well. 2-1 LA after an inning.

Second Inning

9:08 -- DeRosa gets hit to lead off inning. Kevin believes that DeRosa should be hitting fifth instead of Ludwick, but then again he is a Cubs fan. Thoughts?

9:14 -- Two outs now and Schumaker back up. Hope he gives Carpenter a while to chill.

9:17 -- Skip's single gave Carpenter a little time at least. Let's see if he looks better this inning. (Crossing fingers while simultaneously knocking on wood.)

drawmules says: "This is going to be a very long game."

Kevin (aka Southeast Missourian sports editor) is already lamenting the length of the game. Doesn't look good for getting full results in the paper, but that's what semoball.com and semissourian.com is for!

9:21 -- Alright. Two up, two down. That's more like it.

9:22 -- That is the last time I compliment Carpenter or claim he's doing something well. This is all my fault. Sorry, guys and gals. (Furcal triples.)

9:25 -- We're going to the third inning. That is all.

Third Inning

9:28 -- Albert up and Albert down. Sigh.

9:30 -- Holliday singles. Ludwick walks. What is the opposite of "Sigh?"

9:32 -- Should Holliday have been tagging? Not judging, just asking...

9:34 -- "The Cardinals have now left six on base in the first three innings." Eek.

drawmules says: "Holliday has to get to tag and get to third on that play."

Anyone concur? Care to disagree?

9:39 -- Eithier hit by pitch to lead off the bottom of the inning.

9:42 -- Manny walks. I'm so confused.

9:43 -- I'll say this. If the Cardinals find a way to win this game with Carpenter struggling like he is, I like their chances to win the series. I'm not saying the won't win if they lose and they can't win if they lose, but at this point it looks like the bullpen will need to contribute and the offense will have some work to do.

9:45 -- Assuming you were a millionaire, how much would you pay for a double play right now?

9:49 -- Mark DeRosa sails a throw to second into the outfield. 3-1 Dodgers. Still one out. My question about the double play still stands?

Buck says: "What a play! With a little league throw."

I laughed out loud when I read that. Then got a little depressed.

9:53 -- After a Belliard strikeout, Russell Martin walks.

9:54 -- Wolf pops out. Rasmus to lead things off for the Cards.

Fourth Inning

Buck asks: "You think they need to go talk to Carp or just try and let him figure it out hisself?"

My thoughts are that they should do whatever they normally would do, and I'm not sure what that is. Then again, this is not something Carpenter normally has to deal with. Paging Dave Duncan.

9:59 -- Rasmus walks leading off. I'll take it.

10:03 -- Carpenter sacrifices. Schumaker hits an RBI-double down the left field line. 3-2 Dodgers.

Schumaker 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. Not a bad start for him.

10:07 -- And they're intentionally walking Albert again. This time with two outs and a runner on second. If I'm a Dodger fan, I hate this. Then again, I like to watch Albert hit.

10:09 -- Holliday hit by a pitch. Bases loaded. Again.

10:10 -- Randy Wolf being taken out? This whole game is blowing my mind. Is anyone else surprised or am I crazy?

10:11: Jeff Weaver!!! More 2006 flashbacks. Wowowow. Jeff Weaver is a better option than Randy Wolf at this point. OK then Joe Torre. OK.

drawmules says: "Interesting move. We all love Jeff Weaver don't we?"

Lots of love coming from me.

10:14 -- Long foul ball for Ludwick. I stopped breathing for a second there but no worries.

10:15 -- Ludwick grounds out to Weaver. The Cardinals have now left 12 runners on base through four innings. Twelve.

10:16 -- Twelve.

10:21 -- Two quicks out then a single by Ethier after Carpenter fell behind 3-0. He's obviously fighting it. But he's fighting.

10:22 -- Did I just say something positive about Chris Carpenter? What is wrong with me? Manny doubles down the left field line.

10:23 -- Walk to Loney to load bases. Both teams are getting their chances. Who is going to take advantage first?

10:24 -- Blake lines out to Ludwick. Eight hits, three runs for the Dodgers. Six hits, two runs for the Cardinals.

Fifth Inning

10:33 -- Two up, two down for the Cards.

10:34 -- Rasmus doubles, which will get Carpenter to the plate. And he's hitting for himself. Anyone surprised?

10:36 -- Carpenter strikes out. Still 3-2. This game just has a funny feeling to it to me. I'm not quite sure what it means up to this point. Are we just watching a hard-fought playoff game where pitchers are making pitches when they have to? Or are we watching a couple teams who struggled down the stretch get off to equally sketchy starts to the postseason? Or am I overanalyzing everything because it's the playoffs?

drawmules asks: "Would anyone have taken out Carpenter right there?"

I was certainly surprised, especially with Rasmus in scoring position. I can't blame LaRussa for trusting Carpenter and it is only a one-run game in the fifth inning. Still lots of time. But with the Dodger bullpen the scoring chances might go away.

Plus, Carpenter did have six RBI his last time out. :)

10:43 -- Carpenter gives up a hit and a walk to start inning. Now LaRussa is out to visit Carpenter, which is interesting. Wonder what he wanted to say that Dave Duncan couldn't.

10:46 -- LaRussa was setting up the defense according to the booth. Meanwhile, Juan Pierre sacrifices the runners to second and third. The announcers rundown of Furcal's day so far didn't exactly make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. (2-for-3)

10:48 -- Nervously tapping desk. Decided to stop and resume typing instead.

10:50 -- See post from 10:48.

10:52 -- Sac fly out to right. 4-2 Dodgers. Two outs.

10:55 -- And Carpenter is officially through five innings. Is it too early to ask if anyone has a cap they could turn into a rally cap?

What is your rally cap technique? Inside out with bill facing front? Inside out with bill facing back? Right side out but put on your head so that bill faces sky? Just wondering...

Sixth Inning

11:00 -- Well at least Albert will get to swing. Two outs, no one on.

11:02 -- Yuck, yuck, yuck. Albert grounds out to short. Moving along.

Bizteacher says: "I'm up in the air about this game...we just don't seem to be clicking...kind of like the past 3 weeks!"

I don't think either team has played particularly well, but that really shouldn't be all that surprising considering that both team came in not playing all that well.

No one has a rally cap technique to share?

11:07 -- Dennys Reyes enters the game just long enough to give up a double to Ethier. Kyle McClellan will replace him. I'm still a little sore with McClellan after the Wainwright 20th Win Debacle of 2009.

11:10 -- Manny flies out for the first out.

11:11 -- And the booth bring up the Wainwright 20th Win Debacle of 2009. Luckily, Wainwright is a much bigger person than me apparently. (Make a wish!)

11:12 -- Base hit No. 11 for the Dodgers. First and third with one out.

11:13 -- Two out. Big AB here.

11:15 -- Walk to Belliard to load the bases. Bigger AB here.

11:18 -- McClellan hits Russell Martin on a 2-2 pitch. Just not OK. (That is the least negative thing I can say.)

drawmules says: "If we get to Thome this inning we are in big trouble."

"And not because he might get a hit. We can't get any farther behind."

In that case, we are in big trouble. Trever Miller is coming in to face Jim Thome. 5-2 Dodgers.

11:22 -- I'm not giving up. Just for the record.

11:24 -- The Cards have life. Thome strikes out. I'm officially calling for rally caps. It's time.

Seventh Inning

11:29 -- Holliday strikes out and Ludwick grounds out. Clearly my lack of a rally cap is costing the Cardinals here. (Why is it that every fan thinks that what he or she does determines what happens in a game on television? Or is it just me?)

11:37 -- Back-to-back base hits by Molina and DeRosa give Cardinals a chance. Troy Glaus pinch-hitting for Rasmus. Thoughts?

11:41 -- Glaus strikes out. This seems like an appropriate time for a frowny face.

:(

11:46 -- Blake Hawksworth now pitching for the Cards.

11:51 -- One on, one out now after Hawksworth strikes at Kemp.

11:53 -- The game has slooowed down.

11:56 -- Stockton just pointed out that the home team have fared well today. Buck pointed that out hours ago. :)

11:57 -- Double plays ends the inning. Six more outs for the Cards. (Again, cutting edge commentary there.)

Eighth Inning

12:02 -- Schumaker hit by a pitch with one out. Can we count that as life for St. Louis?

12:05 -- Albert will get to face the Dodgers closer.

It is getting late in case anyone had failed to notice. I really shouldn't be this sleepy.

drawmules says: "We need a hit by Pujols and a homerun by Holliday."

I'll take it.

12:08 -- Observation: Jonathan Broxton looks like a football player.

12:10 -- I'm not giving up? (Albert grounds out to third.)

And neither is drawmules: "Now we need two hits and a homerun in the 9th."

How about three hits and a homer? Too much?

12:14 -- Twenty-seven runners left on base? Is that real?

12:18 -- Mitchell Boggs walks Belliard for a second time to put runners on first and second. That's eight walks tonight by Cardinals pitchers if I'm counting right. I don't need Al Hrabosky to tell me that that's not a way to win a game.

12:20 -- Wowowow. Pujols.

12:21 -- We're heading to the ninth. I'm out of ideas to force a rally but something tells me what I do doesn't really matter.

Ninth Inning

12:26 -- One out.

drawmules says: "If we tie this game and bring Jason Motte in to pitch the bottom of the 9th I'm not going to be happy."

First things first, but I hear you.

12:29 -- Ludwick comes home to score on DeRosa's double. Runner on second, two outs. Ankiel comes up representing the tying run. About as good as we could hope for considering how this game has gone.

12:31 -- Three ABs, three strikeouts for Ankiel against Broxton. Sounds about right.

12:32 -- Ankiel does his best Carlos Beltran impression looking at strike three. 5-3 Dodgers take game one.

Thanks to drawmules, buck, Nighthawk and others for stopping by. We'll see you tomorrow for game two. Hopefully Adam Wainwright will be in better form than Chris Carpenter was tonight.

I'll have a photo gallery up in a bit.