Is A Game 4 Winner In The Cards?

After the disappointing loss in Game 3, a winner has to be in the cards for the St. Louis Cardinals tonight.

We’re still confident that we can take this, and we’re going to keep pushing. — Kolten Wong

The loss is definitely something our Cardinals can dust off and move along from and I really believe Manager Mike Matheny will have these guys motivated. Last night was just as bad for Matheny as it was relief pitcher Randy Choate. Mike’s decision making was highly questioned. As it rightly should have been.

Kolten Wong seemed pretty confident that the Cardinals can even things back up to 2 all tonight. In comments to MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer, Wong said:

"“Easily,” Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong, a breakout star in the series, said when asked how his team rebounds from the disappointment. “You walk out the doors. Once you leave these doors, the game is done. The day is done. We have to move on to the next game.“We’re still confident that we can take this, and we’re going to keep pushing.”Wong, with a two-run triple and a double, followed his walk-off homer in Game 2 with another display of fireworks."

Shelby Miller is the game 4 starter. He had a pretty good NL Division Series start against the Dodgers, in which he only gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings. A.J. Pierzynski will bat seventh and be Miller’s battery mate. Shelby told Spencer he would feel comfortable pitching to either A.J. or Tony Cruz with Yadier Molina out with an oblique strain.

"“A.J. and Tony are guys that have been around for a while,” Miller said. “Especially A.J. He knows a lot of these hitters, and same with Tony. I know Tony works a lot with Yadi on video.“You trust in those guys, the same way you would with Yadi. You’ve got to believe in those guys and how much they work, and [you have to know] that they are going to do their job. We as a team believe in those guys, too.”"

So that’s good.

I would add that I would have liked to have seen a line-up or position change with the outfield. But I’ve the line-up is exactly the same as it has been.

Carpenter – 2B
Jay-CF
Holliday – LF
Adams – 1B
Peralta – SS
Wong – 2B
Pierzynski
Grichuk – RF
Miller – P

Nope. Still no Peter Bourjos for that massive center field. And Oscar Taveras isn’t being given a chance. And this may well explain why … not really, but it and this are the most that’s been said in a while.

Oscar isn’t in the good graces of management. They seem to think he is lazy and entitled. With comparisons, made by John Mozeliak, that he’s potentially as good as Albert Pujols … it’s understandable why he has that complex. It’s just too bad we will probably never see that. Unless he follows Mo’s orders for the offseason … which seems to include NOT playing in the Dominican Republic over Mo’s suggested strict plan that includes him staying in St. Louis. And in watching Oscar, he seems to do what he wants. So, we’re probably going to be in a wait and see mode with Oscar for a while. To the great dismay of many a Cardinal fan.

Either way. I really do think the Cardinals pull off a win tonight. But they have to be on their A-Game with NO dumb mistakes.

I’ll be on the edge of my seat watching with you all on Fox Sports 1 at 7 p.m.!