A look at some notable facts and figures from the Cardinals’ 9-0 win over the Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series at Busch Stadium on Friday.
• St. Louis advanced to the World Series after taking a 3-1 NLCS series lead for the first time in three attempts.
• Cardinals starter Michael Wacha struck out five over seven innings to earn the win. The rookie is 3-0 in the postseason with a 0.43 ERA over three starts.
• Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw entered Game 6 with a 0.47 ERA this October and was charged with seven runs on 10 hits in four innings, his shortest career postseason start. He was winless in four starts against St. Louis this year.
• The Cardinals scored four runs against Kershaw in the third inning. The last time Kershaw allowed four runs in an inning was also at Busch Stadium on July 24, 2012. Kershaw had only four starts this season with at least four runs allowed prior to Friday.
• Kershaw threw 48 pitches in the third inning, a career high for both the regular season and postseason.
• Los Angeles was limited to just two hits and was shut out for the second time in the NLCS (Game 2).
• St. Louis has never lost at home in the postseason when leading by four runs. The last time the Dodgers overcame a four-run deficit in October was Game 4 of the 1981 World Series against the Yankees.
• Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina went 2-for-5 to break out of a 1-for-13 (.077) skid in the previous four games of the NLCS. Molina’s 40 career hits in the NLCS rank second in franchise history behind Albert Pujols (44).
• The Cardinals also beat the Dodgers in six games in the 1985 NLCS.
• St. Louis improved to 5-4 all-time in NLCS Game 6, including a 3-1 mark at home.
• Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez made his fourth straight start, despite a hairline fracture of the eighth rib in his left side. Ramirez suffered the injury when he was hit by a 95-mph fastball from Joe Kelly in Game 1, and went 2-for-15 (.133) the rest of the series.
• The Cardinals advanced to the World Series for the 19th time in franchise history, including the second time in the last three years and fourth in the last 10 seasons.
• The Dodgers have lost their last three NLCS appearances, dating back to 2008.
• Only six teams in Major League history have enjoyed a larger margin of victory in a clinching game in the postseason.
Austin Laymance is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
