For the fourth consecutive season, the St. Louis Cardinals are going to the National League Championship Series.
The Cards once again got to stud Clayton Kershaw late in the game on Tuesday, this time with a three-run bomb from Matt Adams to secure the 3-2 victory and 3-1 series win.
MLB.com provided a look at the final out and ensuing on-field celebration:
Not seen in that video is catcher Yadier Molina’s instant-classic reaction. Fortunately, MLB’s Twitter feed caught that moment in all of its glory:
Of course, it wasn’t all just reckless pig-piling and mauling of teammates. Before he participated in the celebration, skipper Mike Matheny offered a tip of the cap to the Dodgers dugout:
Adams, who hadn’t hit a home run against a left-handed pitcher since July, stepped to the plate in the seventh with two on and the Cards trailing by two. Following in the footsteps of Matt Carpenter, who had hit three out of the park in the first three games of the series, Adams came through with the big blast in a surprising moment.
Even more out of the ordinary, he did it against the normally devastating curveball from Kershaw. Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan noted the rarity of the situation:
Afterwards, Matheny suggested the appropriate way for the 26-year-old first baseman to celebrate, via Fox Sports:
It’s unknown if there was skipping involved, but Adams—like the rest of the team—partook in the dumping and spraying of alcoholic beverages in the locker room. The team’s official Twitter feed has the proof:
If anyone knows how to really commemorate an NLDS win, it’s probably the Cardinals, who have gotten in a bunch of practice over the past several years. And it appears the back-to-back-to-back-to-back NLDS wins have given them a chance to get a little innovative with their celebrations. With Budweiser rations aplenty, they opted to commence one of the more sticky water-gun fights:
Carlos Martinez also got into the act. Well, he tried, at least:
With Game 1 of the NLCS not until Saturday, the Cardinals will likely be memorializing this victory well into the night.
Once the hangovers—both of joy and alcohol—wear off, it will be time to readjust focus toward Washington or San Francisco, who can both present a difficult challenge next round. After beating Kershaw, the best pitcher in the league, for the fourth time in two postseasons, though, the Cardinals have earned the right to have a little fun and relax.
Again.
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