Cardinals flying to Detroit
NEW YORK — The St. Louis Cardinals enjoyed a quick celebration, and then it was time to go.
Hustle to the airport, hop on a plane and head for the World Series.
Yadier Molina's tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning and another Game 7 gem by Jeff Suppan helped St. Louis overcome Endy Chavez's astounding catch, giving the Cardinals a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets for the NL championship Thursday night.
Next up for St. Louis, a date with the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night in Game 1 of the World Series.
Hey Motown, here come the Cards.
"I don't think anybody looks forward to playing us," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said.
Adam Wainwright wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth, striking out Cardinals nemesis Carlos Beltran to end it and leaving a stunned crowd in deflated silence just moments after it had Shea Stadium shaking.
With that, the Cardinals earned their second pennant in three years and a jubilant trip to Detroit as they try for their first World Series title since 1982.
"I think this is the best team, and we proved it," Molina said.
A .216 hitter with only six home runs during the regular season, Molina drove the first pitch he saw from reliever Aaron Heilman into New York's bullpen for a 3-1 lead in the ninth.
"I just left it up," Heilman said. "I was just trying to throw it down and away. Instead it stayed right over the middle of the plate."
Chavez, who made one of the most memorable catches in postseason history three innings earlier, could only stand and watch at the fence as the Mets' title hopes were dashed.
"I'm just so happy for Yadier. What a big hit for us," slugger Albert Pujols said.
Scott Rolen, robbed of a two-run homer by Chavez in the sixth, started the St. Louis rally with a single.
But the Mets, resilient throughout their stirring season, nearly came back in the ninth. Jose Valentin and Chavez singled before pinch-hitter Cliff Floyd struck out looking.
"I had one thing on my mind — to send us to Detroit," Floyd said.
Jose Reyes lined to center for the second out, and Paul Lo Duca drew a walk that loaded the bases.
That brought up Beltran, who homered three times in the series after hitting .417 with four home runs for Houston in the 2004 NLCS against St. Louis.
Wainwright, a rookie filling in for injured closer Jason Isringhausen, got ahead in the count immediately and froze Beltran with a curveball for strike three.
"I can't let my team down right there," said Wainwright, who has three saves in the postseason. "We battled so hard in the playoffs."
