Cardinals 2, Giants 1: On another night, in another month, with a different Giant team, this might have been a 6-0 loss. At risk of making my middle name Pollyanna, I thought this wasn't too bad, as losses go. First, the Giants hit a lot of balls hard. Karmic cyclery, perhaps, for the team's "ground attack" of bloops and bleeders and choppers that have won several games this year. Second, Matt Cain didn't have his best stuff but threw a beautiful game, with Romo and Affeldt to follow. Third, I can't blame Bobby Howry for surrendering the game-winning homer to Rasmus in the 10th. He should have had Rasmus on a strike three, then on a foul pop. On 3-2 he had to come with a fastball with Pujols on deck. Howry did his job; Rasmus just did a better job.
What's more, I'm not too steamed about the missed opportunity in the eighth, when the Giants loaded the bases with no outs (thanks in part to a blown call at first base) and only scored one. The key to the inning was the 3-2 curveball Wainwright threw to the Panda for a swinging strike three. That's balls-out pitching. With Wainwright at the top of his game last night, Molina did a great job getting the sac fly to tie the game. A little more toward the alley and it might have been a three-run double.
Best part about the game, though? Hearing Cardinal fans boo when Albert Pujols was intentionally walked. Oh, I'm sorry, did you just drive 200 miles through endless cornfields and a tornado storm with three screaming kids in your minivan to watch Pujols hit? I feel your pain. Wait, it was here somewhere. I must have misplaced it. I'll go look for your pain; meanwhile, Cardinal fans, go suck 688 eggs.
