Cardinals vs. Brewers: Cardinals Take 2-1 NLCS Lead over Brewers

The first four hitters crossed home plate for the Cardinals in Game 3 of the NLCS. That was all they would get all game, and that was all they would need all game. 

It was expected to be a pitchers duel with both teams putting their aces on the bump. It did become one—once the aces sat down. 

In fact, the Cardinals, who had the most blown saves of any team but the Washington Nationals this year, were perfect in four innings, not allowing a base runner after Cards ace Chris Carpenter was sent to the showers after only five innings.

The Brewers used three different relievers as well, and while they did surrender base runners, they didn't surrender any runs. In all, the Cardinals stranded nine runners in the game. 

The Cardinals offense was led by two heroes in particular: Albert Pujols (of course) and David Freese, who has been having a pretty tremendous postseason in his own right. Pujols hit an RBI double, then scored.  His next at-bat, he followed up with a single. After that, the Brewers just stopped pitching to him, intentionally walking him in his next two trips to the plate.

Pujols has now reached in eight of his last nine plate appearances. He has an utterly ridiculous .636 BA for the series, along with a .692 OBP, a 1.273 slugging percentage and an outright obscene 1.985 OPS for the NLCS. 

Freese was 3-for-5 with a double. Compared to Pujols, his numbers are almost pedestrian, as ridiculous as they are. Freese is "only" hitting .500 in the NLCS, with a paltry .538 OBP and a 1.167 slugging percentage. His "paltry" OPS of 1.705 is 180 points behind Pujols

Pujols' OPS stands as the highest in NLCS history at present. Freese's is "only" the eighth best. 

Pujols continued to stockpile his NLCS records, scoring his 24th run, 24th RBI, 75th base and tying Fred McGriff with his eighth double. Pujols also tied Chipper Jones for the second most hits. Pujols now has the NLCS record in home runs, RBI, runs, total bases and doubles. With the two IBBs, he also is now third in NLCS history in walks. 

If the Brewers have any hope, it is in the fact they've held the Cardinals other big bats, Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman, in check. Holliday struck out twice with two outs and runners on first and second. 

The other noteworthy thing worth mentioning is that Jason Motte is starting to look like a reliable closer for the Cardinals, as he shut down the Brewers for four outs—three of which were strikeouts. 

The next pitching matchup will see the Cardinals sending Kyle Lohse to square off against Randy Wolf. Wolf was horrible in his previous postseason start, lasting just three innings and giving up eight hits and seven runs. His ERA against the Red Birds is 5.34.

Lohse wasn't much better in his start against Philadelphia, lasting 5.1 innings and yielding six runs—five earned. He does have a 2.37 ERA against the Brewers, though. 

With a 2-1 series lead and the pitching advantage in the next game, the Cardinals could take a commanding 3-1 series lead tomorrow. After tonight's battle of aces went topsy-turvy, though, there's no telling what will happen.