Jayson Werth launched a walk-off home run to send the NLDS between the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals to a deciding fifth game Friday evening. Find out where this SBR capper is making his MLB pick to determine who meets the Giants in the NLCS.
Cinderella might yet be able to squeeze her foot into the slipper after the Washington Nationals walked off with an NLDS-tying 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. A blast by Jayson Werth decided things after 51 outs had been recorded in the game.
That homer by Werth certainly spoiled my
And so the dream is still alive for an I-95 World Series with both the Nationals and Baltimore Orioles forcing decisive fifth games on this October day. Each will be rematches of Game 1 starters, meaning Adam Wainwright and Gio Gonzalez for this NLDS finale. Gonzalez and the Nats have been installed as -130 odds favorites to take out the defending World Series champs. Seven run totals priced at least 25 cents to the UNDER are the norm according to SBR odds.
Reds first, then Cards blow excellent starting efforts in NLDS
Dusty Baker and the Reds had the Giants on the ropes, and Homer Bailey gave them every opportunity to sweep their way into the NLCS. But Cincinnati blew that chance in Game 3, and when you stop to think about it, Mat Latos was just a pitch away from a nice performance as well in San Fran's Game 5 clincher.
At least the Reds had some opportunities offensively to draw even or even move ahead of the Giants on Thursday; Mike Matheny's Cardinals barely had a chance to score the one run they did with a third-inning sac fly. Ross Detwiler was solid for six and Washington relievers took over from there, accounting for eight of St. Louis ' final nine outs via the K.
When the Cardinals get a pitching performance like Kyle Lohse's, they're supposed to win with the offense they have. St. Louis essentially wasted a shot to win the series opener after Wainwright worked into the sixth with 10 strikeouts among the 17 outs he recorded. It was similar to his results facing the Nats in late-September when St. Louis hitters put up a couple of early crooked innings to help the Cardinals breeze into the winner's circle.
Young Nats Gaining Experience & Have Momentum
That Game 1 performance by Gonzalez could have been partly due to it being his postseason debut. He'll be back home at Nationals Park
We discussed the old playoff experience angle in our preview of the series opener, and the Cardinals still have the edge with so many of them having elimination games fresh on their minds from last October. But that column is no longer empty for these young Nationals who have tasted a little postseason humility in the Games 2 and 3 routs by St. Louis , and know the feeling of victory from Games 1 and 4.
Washington should begin this game with a lot of energy left over from the walk-off excitement on Thursday, as well as confidence behind their de facto staff ace with Stephen Strasburg just a spectator in this series. St. Louis won't be without its own faith and trust in Wainwright.
My confidence and my money will be on both starting pitchers and staffs. There isn't a lineup left in the playoffs that doesn't have at least 2-3 hitters who can singlehandedly ruin an UNDER, but that is exactly where I'll put today's baseball pick in his series-ender.
My pick: Under 7 (-125) ---
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