Don’t Count the St. Louis Cardinals Out…yet

In losing a pivotal game 3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the St. Louis Cardinals are in a win-or-go-home situation.
Oct 6, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals probable game four starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) answers questions at a press conference before game three of the National League divisional series playoff baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The problem is that they cannot afford to go home. Not yet, anyway. No, the Cardinals have got to come out with the bats swinging against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who will be sending Charlie Morton to the mound against Cardinals rookie Michael Wacha.

This situation bodes well for the Cardinals. Why? This season, Morton has started 3 games against the Cardinals. He is 0-2 with a 7.90 ERA in those game, including an outing on August 1st that saw the Cards win 13-0. Wacha, however, has 9 scoreless innings against the club.

If there’s anything I know about these Cardinals, it is that they aren’t afraid with their backs against the wall. They have been in this position a few times before in recent history.

In the 2004 NLCS, the Cardinals took the series to 7 games before advancing to the World Series. In 2006, the Cardinals advanced to the World Series following a decisive Game 7 against the New York Mets. In 2011, the Cardinals defeated the Texas Rangers in 7 games after returning to Busch Stadium with a 3-2 deficit in the series.

Everyone remembers what happened. David Freese, Lance Berkman, and Freese again saved the season. The Cards went on to win the World Series after an anti-climactic Game 7.

Last year, the Cards were down to the Washington Nationals in Game 5 of the NLDS. The Cards were down 6-0 early on and would come back to win 9-7.

Don’t count these Cardinals out.