We know how it all ended at this point.
Not with Bobby Thomson, but with Travis Ishikawa.
His footsteps muffled by the shouts of his teammates crowding home plate.
Though his run didn’t matter, nor the man who walked in front of him.
But only the run scored by Pablo Sandoval, who singled to start the ninth.
He swung with two strikes.
And the Cardinals, we know, had their chances, too.
A rookie replaying a fantasy in the top of the ninth:
Bases loaded, two out.
When he grounded out in the past, he got to try again.
Oscar Taveras will try again.
Earlier in the inning, Matt Adams walked and Randal Grichuk singled. Daniel Descalso ran for Adams at 2nd.
Kolten Wong struck a ball that ticked off Sandoval’s glove, deflecting to the second baseman for the force out at second.
Likely the ball would’ve traveled through the infield otherwise, skidding into the left fielder’s glove.
Descalso, running for Adams, might’ve slid past the catcher’s tag.
And been called out.
Or safe.
The Cardinals would be up by a run with three outs to go.
Trever Rosenthal, like he can be.
Michael Wacha, not rusty, but rested.
Randy Choate, redeemed.
It does no good to wonder.
Not for much longer, anyway.
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