The tone was set when the Cardinals shit the bed in the top of the 1st. Bases loaded. Nobody out. And, they get one run.

From that point on, it was hideous.

Chris Carpenter was Todd Wellemeyer.

TBS was public access.

And, the Cardinals were the Pirates.

Even when the Cardinals lose, I enjoy watching their postseason baseball games. Last night was painful. I honestly just wanted to go to bed, but somehow...even though the fucking game was 3 hours old...the Cardinals were only down 3 runs...in the 7th inning.

I'm sitting here trying to recall a sloppier postseason game the Cardinals have participated in...and the most recent one that would come to mind was the disaster that was Game 1 of the 2004 World Series.

But, I don't think too many people were expecting the Cardinals to go in and beat the red hot Red Sox in Game 1 with Woody Williams on the mound. Five years later, many of us did expect Chris Carpenter to beat Randy Wolf, and instead, Carpenter looked flat-out dreadful.

Something had to be up...because that's not the Chris Carpenter we've seen all year long. Even in the one bad start he had against the Braves last month, he just had one bad inning. But, from the first AB last night to the time he left the game after the 5th and throwing 105 pitches to get 15 outs, he was absolutely brutal.

If you nerd out on postseason baseball like I do, you may have noticed where Molina was setting up behind home plate...and how often Carpenter missed that target by a stunning margin.

The fact that he made it through 5 innings is a borderline miracle. I sincerely can't recall a Carpenter start where he was so bad the whole way through. Outside of putting the Cardinals in a 1-0 hole, the fact that he threw 105 pitches makes it highly unlikely he'd be available for a Game 4 start on short rest to save the season if the Cardinals are down 2-1.

But, unless this group starts to hit with runners in scoring position, Game 4 won't be something they'll have to worry about.

The biggest factor in the loss was Chris Carpenter's bizarre lack of command last night, but the turning point of the game was in the top of the 1st with the bases loaded, no one out, and Matt Holliday standing there watching strike three zoom past him with the bat never leaving his shoulders once during the AB.

The calls may have been questionable, but by the time he got two strikes called on him, he's got to be swinging to at least put the ball in play.

When Holliday blew it, the Cardinals were in trouble...not just in that inning...but perhaps in the bigger picture, because the Dodgers can feel even more comfortable continuing to pitch around Albert Pujols.

Even when Holliday got a pitch to rip in the 3rd inning, he inside-outed it to right. He doesn't look right.

But, the team as a whole hasn't looked right for the last month...and it did indeed carry over from September.

The Cardinals had chance after chance in the first four innings, but after the 4th, they had left 12 runners on base and were hitting 2-9 with runners in scoring position.

This was a bad baseball game. Pitched poorly. Hit poorly. Fundamentally disgusting. And, most importantly, a Cardinal loss.

The Dodgers needed to beat the Carpenter-Wainwright tandem at least once to win the series...and they've already done it.

Some quick hits:

- I used to say that TBS carrying playoff games just felt minor league. Now, after watching their production, I can say it's not just a feeling anymore. Really well done on that Emmy Award winner last night. I've seen Seymore Butts' films with fewer jump cuts and audio issues.

- Dick Stockton of the TBS broadcasting crew in the 5th inning as Chris Carpenter was doing his best impression of Juan Agosto: "What a job Chris Carpenter  is doing tonight?" Really, Dick?

- There was talk online that Ryan Ludwick's foul ball in the 4th inning with the bases loaded actually was fair. But, because the public access broadcast had one webcam working at that particular moment, the world will never know.

- Chris Carpenter wasn't the only Mr. Reliable Cardinal to have an uncharacteristically poor game. Yadier Molina made two big mistakes, in my opinion:

1. With runners on 1st and 2nd in the 3rd, Molina came to the plate right after Ryan Ludwick had walked on four pitches. I say to Anna-Marie who's sitting next to me as I nerd out with my notebook and charts, "At least Molina is someone you can count on to take a pitch after a four pitch walk."

What does he do?

Swings at the first pitch and flies out to right. Terrible. Absolutely terrible baseball. Especially with a pitcher who was at 55 pitches through 2.1 IP at that point.

2. In the bottom of the 5th with runners at 1st and 2nd and no one out, Juan Pierre bunts. Molina grabs the ball and turns to throw out Ronnie Belliard at third...which would've been an easy out. Instead, he bobbles it and has to throw to first for the out. Rafael Furcal flies out in the next AB...and what would've been the second out turns into a sac fly to make it 4-2.

- Why didn't Mark De Rosa have the presence of mind to throw home instead of first base...which turned into right field...in the bottom of the 3rd. Ethier would've been dead at home or caught in a rundown. Once again...fundamentals.

- Down 3-2 in the top of the 5th, the Cardinals get the tying run in scoring position with two outs when Colby Rasmus doubles. Chris Carpenter is scheduled to hit. Carpenter has looked terrible and already thrown 78 pitches. He may be needed on Sunday in Game 4. Instead of having someone up and throwing in the bullpen---remember...there are 12 pitchers on this roster---the Cardinals have Carpenter hit...and K. And, then he goes out in the 5th, gives up a run, and throws 27 pitches...giving him a total of 105 for the game and making it awfully difficult for him to come back on three days' rest Sunday if they wanted to go that route.

- I understand the move to pinch hit Troy Glaus for Colby Rasmus in the 7th. Lefty on the mound. Cardinals down 3. Two runners on. However, there was no doubt in my mind that he wouldn't be able to do a damn thing with Kuo's fastball. I think most people who have watched Glaus since his return this year knew the K was coming. La Russa has this Time Machine Wish with broken down veterans in the postseason (see Mark McGwire in 2001 and Larry Walker in 2005). Glaus is wasted space on the bench. Unfortunately, since they couldn't put David Freese on the postseason roster, I'm not really sure what the better options would've been.

- I could've sworn that was Don Johnson right behind home plate last night. And, I also could've sworn it appeared he had passed away at some point in the 8th inning.

- Is Game 2 a must win? You better believe it, brother. If there was a game you figured the Cardinals would lose in Los Angeles, it would be Game 2. Not because of Wainwright...obviously. But, because Clayton Kershaw is on the mound for the Dodgers. The goal of getting one out in Los Angeles is still there for the taking. But, based on the horrific display of baseball we've seen dating back to September 11th, is there really any reason to think the switch is just going to flip back on?

I expect Wainwright to deliver, but will the offense show up?

They better, or else the only game in town Sunday would be located at the Nursing Dome.

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