The heroics of St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dexter Fowler against his former team, the Chicago Cubs, turns the tide in the NL Central Division.
The St. Louis Cardinals, or we should call them the “Cardiac Cards,” somehow outdid yesterday’s walk-off fireworks, shocking the Chicago Cubs in 14-innings — epically winning 4-3.
A two-run walk-off home run by former Cubbie, Dexter Fowler, is undoubtedly a shot in the arm which the ailing St. Louis Cardinals badly needed, after losing Yadier Molina for at least a month — while Tommy Pham and Bud Norris shelved for the final game of the series.
After a 5-0 week, the St. Louis Cardinals are now firmly on top of the NL Central, and trail the NL-leading Arizona Diamondbacks by just a few games for the best record in the National League. Plagued with the injury bug of late, the St. Louis Cardinals keep embracing the next man up mentality.
Each game it seems like it’s a different hero for the Birds on the Bat, with Kolten Wong on Saturday and now Dexter Fowler late into the wee hours of Monday morning. Revenge against his former team undoubtedly tasted oh so sweet, but almost did not occur, with a series of unfortunate events for the Chicago Cubs leading to Dexter Fowler’s heroics.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
After the sixth inning, the bullpens of both squads went seven scoreless innings, stifling hitters frame after frame. After the eye of the Hurricane passed, things picked up in the 14th inning, starting with a two-out bomb by Javier Baez — putting the Chicago Cubs up 3-2.
Heading to the bottom half of the inning, the St. Louis Cardinals were out of position players, so starting pitcher Miles Mikolas pinch hit for Mike Mayers. Luke Farrell mowed him down with ease, and the St. Louis Cardinals were down to their final out.
After his bid for the hero of the evening, Javier Baez nearly made a Sportscenter Top 10 play on Harrison Bader to end the game, but a rushed through allowed the speedster to reach on an infield hit.
Insert Dexter Fowler. The catalyst for the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs — it still feels weird saying “Cubs” and “Champions,” in the same breath.
With two strikes and out of hope, Dexter Fowler turned on an inside pitch and smashed a line-drive to deep-right field. Ironically, former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jason Heyward nearly stole “Dex’s” home run and place as the evening (morning’s) hero, missing robbing him by mere inches.
The St. Louis Cardinals were very excited and rightfully so, after sweeping the Chicago Cubs, in the most unlikeliness of ways.
On the surface, this is just one game out of 162 long, grueling games. However, the way this contest (and series) went down, it dramatically shifts the tide and tone of the NL Central — in the favor the Redbirds.
Last season, both the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs had identical records, except against one another, with the Cubbies going 14-5 against the Redbirds — creating a significant amount of separation.
2018 tells a much different tale, with the St. Louis Cardinals learning from their failure’s of 2017.
The St. Louis Cardinals already matched their win-total against the Chicago Cubs from a year ago, off to a 5-0 start against the defending NL Central champs.
Next: What 3,000 hits would have meant for Pujols in St. Louis
The St. Louis Cardinals are for real and have more reinforcements coming in the next month, which spells certain doom and demise for the Northsiders of Chicago.
The Chicago Cubs tasted a dose of reality over the weekend, reminding them that their reign as King of the NL Central is coming to a bitter end.