The St. Louis Cardinals advanced to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 in Wednesday night's Game 5 of the National League Division Series.
Adam Wainwright went the distance for the Cardinals, pitching nine innings, giving up eight hits, one run, walking one batter, striking out six, and getting support from his defense with three double plays. Wainwright was recovering from "Tommy John" surgery during the Cardinals' 2011 title run and his postseason experience.
"To pitch a game like that, it's definitely one of the highlights of my baseball life," said Wainwright. "This is why I signed back here, there's no amount of money that means how much this city and this team mean to me."
Third baseman David Freese, the 2011 NLCS and World Series Most Valuable Player, playing the role of postseason hero blasting a two-run home run in the bottom of the second to open up the scoring.
"He's a stud. He's a big-time player at big-time moments," said Wainwright. "And that's what we expect of him and that's what he continues to deliver."
St. Louis will host Game 1 of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday, who are working four days rest. The Dodgers - returning to the NLCS for the first since 2009 - will face the Cardinals, making their eighth appearance in an NLCS, for the first time since the 1985 series.
As far the Pirates, the season ends having stopped a record streak of 20 consecutive losing seasons, making their first postseason appearance since 1992.
"I've admired our team's makeup,'' said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "I've admired our teams' preparation, their focus, dealing with real situations, dealing with frustration a little bit, dealing with the challenges the game can present. We are gaining so much experience on so many different levels. We are becoming tougher. These are lessons that will be put in play for years."