The amazing two years of Tyler Moore

After winning Game 1 in St. Louis 3-2, the Nationals now have three of the next four games in the series at home. Of course, Game 4 and Game 5 are if necessary. Trailing 2-1 after five innings, the Nationals found a way to get to a bullpen that had allowed more than one earned run just once in the last 14 postseason games. Well, that streak reached 14 of 15, but they still allowed two runs. And the Nationals' bench, another one of the team's many strengths, came through with the game's biggest play. Tyler Moore, who two years ago was struggling with his game in the minors, smacked an opposite-field pinch single to score two runs to give the Nationals the lead for good. While at high Single-A Potomac in June 2010, Moore was having a rough time getting base hits when he turned his season around. Sixty-two homers in two minor league seasons got him to Triple-A Syracuse, and then the call-up in 2012 to the Nationals. Moore's first postseason hit also produced his first postseason RBIs and helped the Nationals earn their first postseason win. The Nationals had many opportunities in this game, but before Moore's heroics were unable to get that clutch base hit. Expect more of the same from this stingy Cardinals pitching staff. It will happen the entire series. The Nationals will have to be as patient as the Cardinals were at the dish to be successful in the series. But the Nationals' pitching also was able to get through major jams, especially the second frame, when starter Gio Gonzalez walked four batters and allowed only two runs to score. That was all for the Cardinals in Game 1. The Nationals allowed just three singles. Good start.