Incredible: Carpenter goes the distance to fuel Cardinals into NLCS

Chris Carpenter put together one of the best pitching performances in postseason history, sending his Cardinals to the NLCS. (Photo: Reuters/Ray Stubblebine)

As I was trying to find an article on Google documenting Chris Carpenter’s string of arm injuries that caused him to miss most of the 2007 and 2008 seasons, I came across a September 13th piece by Associated Press’ Will Graves that detailed his two-year contract extension. At the time of the article’s writing, the 2005 Cy Young winner wasn’t having his best summer in St. Louis, with just a 9-9 record. But, as noted by Graves, “he is coming off an impressive four-hit shutout win over Milwaukee that manager Tony La Russa called one of the best performances he’s seen all season.”

LaRussa can now scratch that impressive out of the top spot. Carpenter, who dueled with Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay in a win-or-go-home Game 5, managed to perform even better on a much more pressure-packed stage. What an pitching display he put on.

Halladay certainly wasn’t chopped liver, but an early hiccup proved to be the difference. Rafael Furcal led off the game with a triple, and Skip Schumaker drove him in by lacing a double into the right-field corner. The Cardinals knew they needed to strike quick against a pitcher of Halladay’s caliber, and they did just that. Who knew a single run would be all they’d need.

Carpenter, 36, standing an imposing six-feet six inches tall, looked like the ace of old. After missing time due to bone spurs and reconstructive elbow surgery, he bounced back to go a combined 33-13 over the 2009 and 2010 seasons, and won 10 of his last 12 regular-season decisions this year. Despite his success, I couldn’t help but root for him as if he was still just returning from injury, as an underdog and a remarkable comeback story. He proved, against one of baseball’s most dangerous lineups, that he’s far removed from the injury-plagued years.

Carpenter was drafted in 1993 by the Toronto Blue Jays. Halladay was drafted in 1995 by the same team. The two became great friends during their days in Canada, and both possessed tremendous talent. Halladay, however, has been far more successful in his career. He has 44 more regular-season wins than Carpenter, while losing the same amount as his counterpart, 92. He has no-hitters; Carpenter does not. He has a perfect game; Carpenter does not.

All of their statistical differences were thrown out of the window for Game 5 in Philadelphia. Both were on the top of their game, pitching like the equals their talent suggests. For once, though, Carpenter managed to stand out.

Not by much, as Halladay mowed down the Cardinals after allowing the first inning run, but Carpenter had something special brewing all game long. He was on; everything was working. He mixes his pitches wonderfully, throwing in the low 90s with his fastball, in the mid-80s with his changeup, and in the low 70s with his curveball. The constant change in speed and location befuddled the Phillies, and when opposing hitters did make solid contact his defense had his back.

A play by shortstop Rafael Furcal stood out, fueling fist-pumps from his fellow Cardinals and screams of joy from Carpenter. St. Louis’s ace entered the bottom of the eighth having only allowed three baserunners. He hadn’t walked anyone. Being up just one run, his allowing a fourth baserunner could mean trouble. Furcal did his part to keep that Phillie off base, turning back the clock in the process. Ranging to his left on a Carlos Ruiz hard-hit ball, the 11-year veteran gobbled up the grounder, rose to his feet in the blink of an eye, turned towards first base, and fired a strike to Albert Pujols, getting Ruiz by a hair.

“You got a guy like Carpenter, you know he’s a horse,” Furcal said postgame. “It’s easy to play defense behind that guy. …I’ve got to throw the best throw of my life. It was the best of my life, and now we have a happy flight.”

They will have a happy flight because Carpenter finished what he started. Three of Philadelphia’s best hitters were due up in the ninth: Chase Utley, Hunter Pence, and Ryan Howard. He disposed of Utley on scary, deep flyout to center-field, then got Pence to ground out. The Phillies season rested on Howard’s shoulders, and, just like last year, the season ended with him coming up short.

He grounded out, tripped out of the box, then crumbled to the ground in pain. As he was helped off the field with an apparent ankle injury, the Cardinals celebrated. Carpenter, yelling triumphantly, was in the middle of it–the focal point, the ace, the 36-year-old who had just put together one of the best outings in postseason history.

“It’s special, man, special,” he said after the game. “It was some kind of fun. … I got out of a couple jams with some great defensive plays. What an awesome night.”

That it was–one of for the ages. A three-hit shutout in an elimination game on the road. It doesn’t get much better than that. And now he faces Milwaukee in the National League Championship Series, the team that was dominated in what is now his second-best performance of 2011. Carpenter will now have a chance to build upon his latest gem, just as he did that one. Considering how baffling he was in ending Philadelphia’s season, there’s no reason why he can’t continue to etch his name into postseason lore.