Monday Night Miracle
Rocky Balboas in baseball cleats?
That’s what St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Willson Contreras became during an improbable Monday night miracle.
Seeking milestone vs. top NL Central team
Wainwright, at 4-11, was seeking his 200th career victory after taking ten starts to record his 199th win. If he was to reach the lofty milestone it would have to be against the best team in the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers.
Another beatdown in the offing?
In boxing lore, when a fighter gets pummeled in the first or second round and is knocked to the canvas in the third round, you want him to stay down to avoid serious injury.
Since this would occur on the baseball diamond, it would be a serious bruising to the ego. Why risk tarnishing an otherwise stellar legacy?
Rooting for the underdog amid heavy criticism
But there’s also this wish deep within the sports soul of us all that wills the heavy underdog to get just one good punch to knock out what has become a season of disappointments and indignities.
Wainwright endured plenty of bashing by fans who thought his age, 42, and arm, were well past the due date for calling it quits. The boos rained down despite the fact that he’d announced in the spring this would be his final season.
Catcher in the wry?
Contreras, who had the dubious distinction of following in the footsteps of Yadier Molina, a likely candidate for the Hall of Fame, was also collecting a legion of naysayers. Having to endure the indignity of being banished to the outfield for not appearing to be the best at handling pitchers had to sting like nothing else in his largely successful career.
Perhaps lesser individuals would have asked for a trade or ranted against management. To his credit, Contreras not only reclaimed his spot behind the plate but carried the Cardinals with his bat on more than one occasion.
Maybe miracles do happen
In Wainwright’s last start before his quest for win number 200, he’d pitched well, showing signs of his previous self.
Brillance reclaimed
Fast forward to September 18. Wainwright held forth in brilliant form for seven innings, allowing just four hits and two walks, shutting out the top team in the NL Central.
Historic night
According to Elias Sports Bureau, Wainwright is the only 42-year-old to hurl a 1-0 shutout in MLB modern day history.
Fittingly, Contreras supplied Wainwright with the only run needed to record win number 200 via a solo home run.
Hello Hollywood
The usually unpredictable bullpen held forth and Wainwright was hoisted onto the shoulders of a few told-you-so’s in what could become a Hollywood script.
Yo, Adrian, were you watching?
Bill Heitland is the author of three books, Two for the Seesaw, Chance Evers, and Adversity’s Early Light.
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