PostCards: NLCS Game 6 – St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

It’s do or die time this weekend for the St. Louis Cardinals as they host the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend for one or two games.
Oct 12, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha reacts after retiring the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning in game two of the National League Championship Series baseball game at Busch Stadium. Image Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
A win tonight and the Cardinals are back to the World Series for the 4th time in the last decade.

A win tonight and the Cardinals will win their 19th National League championship.

A win tonight and Yadier Molina becomes the first Cardinal catcher and 11th Cardinal player to to play in his 4th World Series. He would be the first to do so in in a 67 year period.

It’s a battle of the Aggies as Michael Wacha (4‐1, 2.78; 1‐0, 0.00) takes to the mound against probably Cy Young Award recipient Clayton Kershaw (16‐9, 1.83; 0‐1, 0.00). Wacha played baseball at Texas A&M for three seasons while Kershaw was drafted by the Dodgers after he signed to play baseball at the school. In his last start, Wacha pitched 6.2 innings with 8 strikeouts.

With Hanley Ramirez‘s rib bothering him, Nick Punto will take his spot on the field at short stop.

In Game 6 history:
The Cards are 4-4 in NLCS Game 6 history, which includes a 2-1 record at home. The one loss came in 2005 after Albert Pujols helped return the series to Busch. In overall Game 6’s, the Cards are 10-11. In 2011, they clinched the NL pennant with a win over the Milwaukee Brewers. They have clinched the NL pennant twice at home–in 2004 against the Houston Astros and in 1987 against the San Francisco Giants. Both series went to seven games.

On this date in history, the Cards are 1-3 during postseason games played on October 18th. The only win came last year during Game 3 of the 2012 NLCS when Adam Wainwright picked up the win in an 8-3 game.

Cardinals lineup:
2B Matt Carpenter
RF Carlos Beltran
LF Matt Holliday
C Yadier Molina
3B David Freese
1B Matt Adams
CF Shane Robinson
SS Pete Kozma
SP Michael Wacha

Dodgers lineup:
LF Carl Crawford
2B Mark Ellis
1B Adrian Gonzalez
RF Yasiel Puig
CF Andre Ethier
3B Juan Uribe
C A.J. Ellis
SS Nick Punto
SP Clayton Kershaw