Game 89: Dodgers @ St Louis Cardinals 2:3 (14 inn.)

I did not see last nights game, apart from innings 11-14 and the wrap-up in form of the condensed game. Obviously very frustrating as it has been noted earlier.

Some food for thought just to vent:

(1) Chad Billinglsey was sooo lucky in the opening frames (bases loaded one out in the first for no runs, inning ending DP with two on in the fourth, bases juiced in the fifth, amongst others). His luck will run out one day and he'd get shelled. What's better for him and the Dodgers at this stage: send him back to LV or let him run out of luck? Is there a third option?

(2) Nomar Garciaparra and Andre Ethier, only regular Dodgers over .300 BA went 2-for-12, obviously with Nomar's 2-run HR. On the contrary, Rafael Furcal had a huge night (4-for-7).

(3) Why do you think Takeshi Saito was so unusually wild (three walks in the 12th and 13th)?

(4) And a quote from Odalis Perez:

"The last pitch's purpose was to walk him".

My take: Where was Little not showing four fingers when Pujols came to bat with his numbers against Odalis? This one is on Grady, I'm afraid.

Btw, Danys Baez was not available due to flu-like symptoms. Here's a cracker: what would you do with Pujols coming in in the fourteenth had Baez been available:

a) leave Saito in to picth to him (would have been Saito's third inning);
b) bring in Baez to pitch to Pujols (better numbers against him than Perez);
c) go with any pitcher (including Perez) to walk Pujols intentionally.

(5) Derek Lowe picks up the ball tonight against Chris Carpenter in the second game of the series.