(09-29) 01:11 PDT HOUSTON, (AP)
Soaked using light beer and champagne, Albert Pujols as well as Lance Berkman appreciated in the St. Louis Cardinals plastic-wrapped clubhouse, basking in a very celebration no-one concept possible not as much as every thirty days ago.
Chris Carpenter as well as Cardinals completed one associated with baseball's finest comebacks on Wednesday night, clinching this NL wild minute card along with a strong 8-0 win over Houston including a later reduction by simply Atlanta.
The Cardinals got their playoff area as soon as the particular Braves dropped to be able to Philadelphia 4-3 throughout tough luck innings.
St. Louis trailed Atlanta by 10 1/2 online games on Aug. 25, then picked up 23 belonging to the continue 31 game titles to complete its improbable charge.
"Any time period you're over a playoff company and also you make a manage like this, anyone put in many oneself in the particular months which has a fantastic number of guys," Berkman said. "It only helps it be special."
The Cardinals will certainly open this postseason on Saturday with NL East champ Philadelphia. In the opposite NL playoff matchup, Arizona goes to Milwaukee.
St. Louis attended 6-3 resistant to the Phillies while in the frequent season. Amid this huge smiles in addition to spray, the Cardinals were previously shopping ahead.
"A lot might become cut from that we played very very well resistant to the Phillies the following year," Berkman said, "but considering the playoffs most around it's really a various story."
The Braves as well as Cardinals typed in Wednesday's regular-season finales along with 89-72 records.
St. Louis produced quick perform with the punchless Astros, and then rushed back in the clubhouse to watch after the finish of the actual Atlanta game. With the particular Braves a pair of outs through defeat, a clubhouse attendant wheeled from a dolly stocked with cardboard boxes with beer.
And whenever Freddie Freeman folded into a new season-ending dual play, the blowout began. The Cardinals flushed released african american hats with "2011 MLB Playoffs" emblazoned upon top and african american T-shirts with NL wild-card logos.
Within minutes, your level on the clubhouse seemed to be littered together with package caps and corks.
"It's a great sense to be able to come from a long way down," Berkman said. "We felt including most of us acquired a run such as this in us, in addition to we executed them just simply within that nick with time. And here most of us are."
Carpenter (11-9) pitched such as a strong ace, attractive available 11 and allowing for a couple hits in their 15th career complete-game shutout. The Cardinals poured upon the particular domain following Carpenter fielded J.D. Martinez's weakened grounder to the ultimate out.
"It seemed to be exciting, there is no mistrust related to it," Carpenter said. "The manner these kinds of guys have played the past month-and-a-half has become amazing, just about every sole evening grinding, actively playing their butts off, not offering up."
Atlanta's game going one hour earlier, but the Cardinals nearly went on at a distance just about any a cure for a Houston triumph from the earliest inning, bouncing with a 5-0 head alongside Brett Myers (7-14).
Pujols plus Berkman drove throughout extends using singles, and also David Freese doubled to be able to left-center in advance of Myers also registered an out. Berkman scored while Skip Schumaker's hard grounder ricocheted off of Myers' baseball glove regarding a strong infield hit, along with Freese came up residence upon Nick Punto's single to right.
"I'm pleased that marilyn and i fork out early from the game," Pujols said, "and Carpenter naturally took these individuals available as well as procured treatment of business."
Carpenter what food was in total command through the start, beautiful out and about personal training belonging to the first nine hitters. He as well had a strong RBI solitary inside third that will travel with Freese, that reached trust whenever right fielder Brian Bogusevic fell his soar ball intended for an error.
St. Louis stretched the cause 7-0 with that fifth. Myers, 4-0 having a 1.24 ERA around his final personal trainer starts, hadn't permitted more than nine gets in a very start since Aug. 6.
"I seriously needed going to choose from along with put these folks out," Myers said. "It did not perform out."
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