GAME 1 NLDS: IN GAME RUNNING COMMENTARY

Here it, is everyone. Thought I'd give you all something new. My in-game thoughts as it happens, 1st few innings in depth.

Top of the 1st Inning: Man, Wolf looks shaky. Way to walk the lead-off guy, numb nuts ... And a double down the line by Brendan Ryan with a mustache from the 70's. Even silly-looking men can get ground rule doubles. ... right move to walk Pujols but I don't see this ending well... I can't help noticing the Cards have the bags juiced with no one out. ... Lousy AB by Holliday. HUGE OUT!!! ... Jeezo Peezo! Nice at bat by Ludwick! YES!! Easy pop up to short center. We're gonna have -- WHAT???!??!?? HOW DOES MATT KEMP NOT MAKE THAT PLAY???!!!?!?!?!?!? 1-0 Cards and that could be your ballgame, folks. ... How many pitches has Wolf thrown, 100? Oh my! What a fine play by Belliard to turn the pair! I thought for sure that was going through for another 2 runs.

Bottom 1: GOOD piece of hitting by Furcal! If he's truly back, look out! Here comes Kemp, the goat. He should be wearing black zig zags on his shirt because he looked like Charlie Brown out there in center field. ... JESUS! THAT BALL IS DRILLED TO DEAD CENTER!!! IT'S OUTTA HERE! 2-1 Dodgers and it's the Day of Atonement for Kemp. What a blast! Charlie Brown is the hero! Wow, Carpenter doesn't look as sharp as normal. ... Here's Ethier... Nice of Andre to tap out weakly. Man, he's stunk for a while, now. We really need him to start hitting again. Here comes Manny... hard hit ball to the right side...! DAMN! Pujols is a better fielder than he is a hitter and that's saying a lot. What a play! Here comes the unfocused one, James Loney. ... Bay Hee! Loney gets a hit! Carpenter seems shaky and flakey. ... Hey! There's another bay hee by Blake! ... Can Belliard drive in some more runs? Can we possibly chase the great Chris Carpenter in the 1st? ... not so much. My lord, what an awful looking swing by Belliard.

Top 2: Solid bay hee by DeRosa. Gotta tell ya, Wolf doesn't look like he's long for this game... Rasmus now ... Behind on every hitter is Wolf ... lots of foul balls. Can't seem to find an out pitch. Wolf may well throw his 90th pitch by the end of this inning. (If he gets out of the inning) ... 3-2... liner to Blake! DP? NO! DeRosa dives back well in time. Blake got rid of it quickly, but it seemed like the throw was weak. ... Carpenter's gonna try to lay one down ... and fails miserably. 2 down. Ground ball with eyes by Skip Schumaker. Nice range by Belliard. 1st & 2nd with Ryan up ... Jesus. I thought that ball was going over Manny's head. Phew!

Bottom 2: Martin leading off... He shaved ... The thing to do is get Carpenter to throw a lot of pitches and get into the Redbirds pen ... so much for that. Martin being Martin. Typical weak ground out to the left side on the 2nd pitch. One out ... Wolf now... at least he hit it harder than Martin. Not saying much. 2 down. Furcal again... Man, he's on fire! That ball is smoked! STAND UP TRIPLE DOWN THE RIGHT FIELD LINE!! Kemp... Ks on a slow change. Now we have Pujols, Holliday and Ludwick to deal with in the 3rd.

Top 3: Thank God Wolf got Albert to ground out weakly on the 1st pitch. Holliday now ... Line drive bay hee to right. Wolf in trouble again. Walk on 4 pitches to Ludwick. Wolf will be out of this game very soon if this keeps up. I really wanna get a pitch count here... Molina... drive to right! There it goes...! Oh, wow! Nice play by Ethier at the wall. Phew! again. That ball just kept carrying. DeRosa now ... PHEW! AGAIN! Nice one hopper to Furcal and Wolf lives to see another inning.

Bottom 3: Here's the chance to get some huge insurance runs against the surefire NL Cy Young winner... Ethier, Manny, then Loney. Let's go! ... Man! Guys are taking that slow 12-6 curveball like they're mesmerized by it... ETHIER'S HIT ON THE FOOT! Lead off man on! (Seems like the only way Andre's gonna reach base these days but I'll take it) Manny now ... Still doesn't look like Manny. They're going right after him. ... 3-1. Wonder how many pitches Carpenter has thrown? ... Who's gonna be who? Is Carpenter gonna be Carpenter or is Manny gonna finally be Manny? ... BALL 4! 1st & 2nd, no outs! James DP Loney up... Fly ball to right, well hit??? ... not really, but deep enough to get Ethier to 3rd on the tag. 1st & 3rd, one out, Casey Blake up... please no DP's. We need the run. ... 3-2 again. Lots of pitches thrown by Carpenter. That's a good thing... SMASH DOWN THE 3RD BASE LINE!!!! ... Smothered by DeRosa! ... He THROWS IT INTO RIGHT FIELD!!! ETHIER SCORES!!!! Boy, did he uncork one, waayyy over Schumaker's head! 1st & 2nd, still one out, 3-1 Dodgers! Belliard now ... wow, Belliard's just swinging wildly. ... Strike 3 again on 3 pitches. Belliard looks awful. Just awful. He's left 4 guys on base and it's only the 3rd inning. 2 outs and Martin coming up... 3-1. May be pitching around Russell to get to Wolf ... Ball 4. Carpenter's thrown 61 pitches and it's only 2 outs in the 3rd. Wolf up with bases juiced ... Popped up. Damn. Sometimes wish we had the DH. Least we got a run.

Top 4: Rasmus leading off, then Carpenter, then Schumaker. Wolf needs to be sharper in this inning. ... Crap. Looked like Wolf got him looking with a pitch on the outside corner. Terrible call. Wolf got screwed. Ball 4. Here we go again with Wolf. Damn, he looks shakey... Carpenter now ... obviously gonna try to bunt again ... this time he got it down. Rasmus on 2nd with one out, top of the order up ... double down the 3rd base line! 3-2, now. Wolf is gonna be done soon. Weaver warming up. So much for Wolf being the ace. He looks terrible. Here's stupid-looking Brendan Ryan. Schumaker on 2nd. Only one out. Wolf behind on the count yet again. Pujols on deck. Popped up to Loney! Now the worst Pujols can do is put the Cards up by one... They're gonna put him on and pitch to Holliday. Wow. Not sure how I feel about that. Holliday hit a frozen rope his last at bat... 1st & 2nd, 2 outs ... big swing and a miss! 0-1... This is scary... fouled off, 0-2 ... fastball high, 1-2 ... uh oh. Holliday says he was hit on the right elbow ... and he was. Bases juiced with Ludwick up... this doesn't bode well... get 'im out of there, Torre! ... and he does! Wolf is gone! Enter Jeff Weaver... Line drive... foul! Phew! ... little dribbler to the left of the mound... Weaver's got it! We're out of the inning! Stays 3-2 Dodgers, it's only the bottom of the 4th and I can't take it anymore.