ST. LOUIS — Good ‘ol F. Scott Fitzgerald doesn’t think there are any second acts in American lives. In Game 2, let’s hope the Crew provides a reason for Mr. Fitzgerald to F. himself.
The Crew cruised past the Cards in Game 1 with a 10-0 stomping that was downright historic. It was the third-best shutout in World Series history. Only one team, the 1959 Chicago White Sox (yes, people, they’ve been to a World Series before), scored more in a Game 1 skunking, when they crushed the Dodgers, 11-0. Those damn Yankees own the biggest margin of victory via shutout when they tied the 1960 Series at three games apiece with a 12-0 caning of the Pirates. The Yanks also beat the Pirates 10-0 in Game 3.
There’s an interesting –and frightening — note about both series: the Sox and Yankees, despite their outbursts, lost their respective series. Let’s hope the same fate doesn’t befall the Crew.
An encore in Game 2 would be awesome, though not probable. (Molly getting another record five hits? Robin getting another four? Another double-digit win?) For a team that’s been playing from the seat of its pants for the past two weeks — going to the last game of the season with the Orioles and falling behind two games in the ALCS against the Angels — it will be interesting to see how the Crew handles success.
“We just have to put it behind us and come back and take it easy and have some fun,” Crew skipper Harvey Kuenn told The New York Times after Game 1. “Tonight is over. The key thing for us will be to concentrate on tomorrow.”
Don Sutton takes the mound for the Brewers in Game 2, and if that sounds good to you, that’s because it is. Sutton has been everything the Crew hoped he’d be when they traded for him on Aug. 31. But, where Sutton was able to baffle American League hitters who hadn’t seen him before, the Cardinals know him. They beat him on July 25 as Sutton went eight innings, giving up eight hits and four runs in a 4-3 loss at Busch Stadium.
The Crew, meanwhile, have never seen Stuper, a big, right-handed rookie who has average stuff except for his sinker, which makes life tough on right-handed hitters. Then again, the Brewers seem to be fearless whenever it comes to facing someone new. They swing away regardless of who’s on the hill. That’s why we love ’em.
We would love it if the Crew gave someone else a taste of desperation. If they could put the Cards in a two-game hole, they’d have the next three* (Games 3 and 4; and Game 5, if necessary) at County Stadium. Game 2 isn’t a must win for St. Louis without being an elimination game, but it’s close.
Game time is 7:20 PM CT. Play ball and go Crew!
Of course, if you can’t watch or listen to Game 2, you can follow all the action on our Twitter feed: @tweetsfrom1982
| # | Brewers | POS |
| 1 | Molitor | 3B |
| 2 | Yount | SS |
| 3 | Cooper | 1B |
| 4 | Simmons | C |
| 5 | Oglivie | LF |
| 6 | Thomas | CF |
| 7 | Howell | DH |
| 8 | Moore | RF |
| 9 | Gantner | 2B |
| Sutton | SP | |
| # | Cardinals | POS |
| 1 | Herr | 2B |
| 2 | Oberkfell | 3B |
| 3 | Hernandez | 1B |
| 4 | Hendrick | RF |
| 5 | Porter | C |
| 6 | L. Smith | LF |
| 7 | Iorg | DH |
| 8 | McGee | CF |
| 9 | O Smith | SS |
| Stuper | SP | |
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