>>Cards Cruise Past Braves With 10-Run First
(Atlanta, GA) — The Cardinals are headed to the National League Championship Series. St. Louis scored a playoff-record 10 times in the first inning and cruised to a 13-1 win over the Braves in the deciding Game Five of their NL Division Series in Atlanta. Tommy Edman, Dexter Fowler and Kolten Wong delivered two-run doubles in the first as the Cards sent 14 men to the plate.
Jack Flaherty pitched six innings of one-run ball for the win. Mike Foltynewicz recorded just one out in the first and took the loss. Josh Donaldson homered for the Braves. The Cards will play the Nationals in the NLCS starting Friday in St. Louis.
The Nationals got past the Dodgers when Howie Kendrick hit a grand slam off former Cardinal Joe Kelly in the top of the 10th inning as they beat the Dodgers 7-3 in Game Five of their NL Division Series in Los Angeles. Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto hit back-to-back solo shots off reliever Clayton Kershaw in the eighth inning to tie the game for the Nats. Soto also had an RBI single as Washington overcame an early 3-0 deficit. Daniel Hudson got the win.
Max Muncy hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Kike Hernandez connected for a solo shot in the second to put Los Angeles in the lead early.
Game 1 is Friday at 7:08 from St. Louis. Game 2 is Saturday at 3:08 from Busch Stadium.