Stephen Piscotty hit a line drive –
and Mike Matheny stared at the third base coach, spitting until dirt mixed into mud.
It’s only the second inning – a fan whispers that St. Louis has dropped the first two games of the season – but they could still win 160.
Matheny will continue to stare, gazing at some empty chair down the third base line, then back at the pitcher, watching for a sign.
It is only one game, and in late September fans remember the bullpen losing a lead in the top of the 8th, dropping the game in 11. But not this time.
But it’s here where they fall behind.
Then Matt Holliday taps his toe with the bat, knocking off the clods collected from four innings of play.
Still, he crosses first base long after the throw arrives, still slowed by something he can’t identify.
His shoes are clean and he hasn’t aged much from the first to the fourth.
But he has started to fall behind as well.
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