Game 1: Dodgers Storm Carpenter

The pitching was awful.  Both teams struggled on the mound, with neither starter able to make it past the fifth inning.  However, the Dodgers were just good enough to win Game 1 of the NLDS 5-3 against St. Louis, giving them an early 1-0 advantage.  Chris Carpenter was nowhere near his dominant self, giving up four runs, nine hits, four walks, and striking out only three.  Things appeared to be going the Cardinals’ way when they loaded the bases against Randy Wolf in the first inning with nobody out.  However, Matt Holliday struck out, and after a bloop single that scored a run, Yadier Molina hit a ground ball up the middle that Ronnie Belliard turned for a double play.  In the bottom of the frame, Rafael Furcal singled to leadoff, and Matt Kemp crushed a home run into centerfield that gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.

Despite a poor offensive showing, the Dodgers managed to score five runs.  However, the team combined to go 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position while leaving 16 men on base, an NLDS record.  St. Louis was not much better, going 3-for-13 with RISP with an LOB of 14.  The Dodger bullpen shut down the Cardinal offense when Wolf could not get out of the fourth.  Jeff Weaver had an inning and a third of scoreless work, Ronald Belisario had a perfect inning of relief, and Jonathan Broxton pitched a four-out save to seal the victory.

Rafael Furcal had three hits, a run scored and a run batted in.  Andre Ethier scored twice, and Casey Blake drove in a run.  Russell Martin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth to force a run home.  Every starting position player had a base hit.

Game 2 is Thursday at 3:07 PST.  The Dodgers will send the young lefty Clayton Kershaw to the mound, while St. Louis will send 19-game winner Adam Wainwright.