Since 1900, the Dodgers have beaten the Cardinals 995 times. The Cardinals have beaten the Dodgers 994 times. But hardly anyone predicted an even matchup between these two teams in this year's division series.
In Game 1, neither team played its best ball. Randy Wolf's slow soap bubble curve wasn't breaking at all in the first inning and it cost him a run. But he settled down. By the end of three, he had thrown 58 pitches, 38 for strikes. But then again a two run home run by Matt Kemp in the second would help settle down anyone.
The oddest moment of the game came when former closer Eric Gagne was shown on the Dodgervision screen from his field level seat. For a second, the fans didn't know how to react to their former hero, now implicated in baseball's steroid mess. But as soon as the loudspeakers blared "Welcome to the Jungle," all was forgiven and the crowd cheered.
The Cards got one in the fourth and Dodgers manager Joe Torre went to the mound and pulled Wolf. He summoned Jeff Weaver from the bullpen. The Simi Valley native, with his parents in the stands and facing his former teammates with the bases loaded and two outs, got the dangerous Ryan Ludwick to bounce out and the danger was over. Weaver"s brother Jered plays for the Angels and you wonder which game their parents will attend tomorrow- the Dodgers at 3pm or the Angels at 6:30? Or will they somehow brave the rush hour traffic on the 5 freeway and make both games?
The toughest at bat came in the fifth when Dodger shortstop Rafael Furcal fouled off six straight Chris Carpenter pitches before hitting a long sacrifice fly to right, scoring Ronnie Belliard from third. That made the score 4 to 2 Dodgers.
Carpenter finally beat a hasty retreat after hitting Russell Martin in the back with the bases loaded, forcing in a run.
The game was managed in typical Torre style -- a new pitcher every inning after Wolf was pulled, and closer Jonathan Broxton was brought in with two outs in the eighth and being asked to complete a four out save.
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And hardly anyone left Dodger Stadium until the last pitch, setting up the mother of all traffic jams. They'll play again at 3pm Thursday.
