During the 2006 playoffs, Wainwright made nine scoreless appearances, including four saves. Facing the Padres in the NLDS, he threw 1 1/3 innings in Game 2 to earn the save. In the NLCS against the Mets, he added two more saves, punctuated by his memorable strikeout of Carlos Beltran to end Game 7. In the World Series, he pitched the final inning of Game 5 against the Tigers to clinch the Cardinals’ 10^th world championship.

So when St. Louis entered Wainwright’s first career start on April 6, 2007, seeking to halt a three-game losing streak, the 6-foot-7 right-hander wasn’t nervous. Instead, he gave St. Louis its first real glimpse of his potential as a major league starter.

In seven innings against a Houston Astros lineup led by Craig Biggio, Lance Berkman, and Carlos Lee, Wainwright scattered five hits and three walks, allowing just one run while striking out four in a 4-2 Cardinals win. Wainwright complemented his pitching with an RBI double and a couple of key defensive plays, and outfielder Chris Duncan drove in three of the Cardinals’ four runs.

“The only thing I was thinking about was trying to pitch my heart out until the end of the game,” Wainwright said. “I didn’t want to let the team down.”[1]

After Astros lefthander Wandy Rodriguez retired the Cardinals in order in the top of the first, Wainwright’s career as a starting pitcher began with a seven-pitch at-bat against Biggio, a future Hall of Famer. Wainwright retired Biggio with a pop-up to catcher Yadier Molina.

After Rodriguez and Wainwright each pitched perfect second innings, Wainwright helped his own cause in the top of the third. So Taguchi led off with a single up the middle, and Wainwright followed with a double. David Eckstein flied out to right field to advance Wainwright to third, and Duncan homered to give St. Louis a 3-0 lead.

In the fourth, Houston responded with its only run against Wainwright. Mike Lamb led off with his second walk of the game. Berkman followed with a single to center, and Lee hit a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 3-1. After Luke Scott singled, Wainwright struck out Chris Burke, then got Adam Everett to ground the ball back to him for the final out of the inning.

Wainwright showed off his glove again in the bottom of the seventh. Burke led off the inning with a double into the left-field corner before Everett singled. With runners on first and third, Brad Ausmus laid down a bunt. Wainwright pounced on the ball and threw home to Molina, who tagged out Burke, then threw Ausmus out at first for a double play.

“That is such a great play,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “I don’t know how you can top it. The best part was how clutch it was.”[2]

Astros manager Phil Garner inserted Mark Loretta into the game as a pinch-hitter for Rodriguez, but Wainwright snagged his ground ball back up the middle to end the inning.

“Heck, that’s the game right there,” Wainwright said of the Cardinals’ defense. “They could’ve very easily tied it up. Instead, we came away unscathed.”[3]

With two outs in the top of the eighth, La Russa called on Scott Spiezio to pinch-hit for Wainwright, ending the rookie right-hander’s day after 101 pitches.

Spiezio drew a walk, and Eckstein followed with a single to left. Duncan, who had hit just .170 against left-handed pitching the previous year, once again came through. The left-handed slugger lofted a fly ball down the right field line that was ruled fan interference for a ground-rule double. Spiezio came around to score, making the score 4-1.

Duncan finished the game with three hits and three RBIs.

“It helps my confidence a little bit,” Duncan said. “I just started seeing the ball better throughout the game.”[4]

Ryan Franklin and Randy Flores combined to hold the Astros scoreless in the eighth inning before Houston scored one in the ninth on an RBI single by Orlando Palmeiro against Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen.

Garner called on Jason Lane to pinch hit for Ausmus, but Isringhausen got him to fly out to right fielder Preston Wilson for the final out of the game and the 250^th save of Isringhausen’s career.

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[1] Chris Duncan, “Cards land first victory,” Springfield News-Leader, April 7, 2007: Page 3D.

[2] Chris Duncan, “Cards land first victory,” Springfield News-Leader, April 7, 2007: Page 3D.

[3] Chris Duncan, “Cards land first victory,” Springfield News-Leader, April 7, 2007: Page 3D.

[4] Chris Duncan, “Cards land first victory,” Springfield News-Leader, April 7, 2007: Page 3D.

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