Carlos Beltran is the difference maker in a Phenomenal NLCS Game One

[Box Score]

Yea, so that game was unbelievable last night. I think the game was just a preview of what we’re going to see all series long, and I wouldn’t count the Dodgers out of this yet. Here are my thoughts on the game, as I watched all 13 innings until the bitter end:

• Carlos Beltran owned the night. He had the 2-run double that tied the game. He had the unreal throw from right field to nail Mark Ellis at home plate. He predictably (especially by that point in the action) had the game-winning hit in the 13th. Carlos Beltran owns the postseason I’ll never forget the first postseason I watched Beltran back in 2004 against the Cardinals when he was a Houston Astro. He was unbelievable back then and people thought he was just playing for a contract.
• I didn’t like Don Mattingly’s move to pinch-run Dee Gordon in a tie game, effectively ending Adrian Gonzalez’s evening. Not in a tie game on the road. Maybe if you’re down a run, but Mattingly had to know this game could go into extra innings and he would miss out on a few turns through the lineup of Gonzalez’s spot. Michael Young couldn’t get much done.
• The St. Louis pen is going to be near impossible to score upon. I’m starting to think all of these games are going to be low scoring totals for the Dodgers. I’m surprised that Edward Mujica didn’t even enter the game.
• Yasiel Puig didn’t have it last night. He went 0 for 6 with a couple of K’s. He had a great play to throw a runner out at first for an outfield assist and a double play, though.
• Uribe, Carl Crawford, and Ellis were the only Dodgers with two hits. Uribe’s 2-out single plated the Dodgers only two runs.
• Zack Greinke was about as flawless as you could ask for. Eight innings, 10 strikeouts, he made only the one mistake to Beltran. He looked the part of ‘ace’ last night.
• I am shocked the Dodgers didn’t have more success against Joe Kelly, but he didn’t exactly appear to be a ‘weak link’ type last night, throwing 95-97 running in and spotting up corners of the plate.
• The Cardinals effectively pitched around Hanley Ramirez who was on base four times.

Clayton Kershaw against Michael Wacha today. This should be another memorable day in NLCS history.