ST. LOUIS — Cardinals starter John Lackey was brilliant through five innings in his Game 1 start in the National League Division Series against the Cubs.
Like, working-on-a-no-hitter brilliant. And then that dream ended, when Addison Russell laced a clean single up the middle to start the sixth.
MORE: The 10 greatest Cardinals of all time | Postseason schedule
Russell didn't come around to score, though he did get to third base and was almost able to trot home. With two outs, Dexter Fowler hit a towering fly ball deep to right field, but Randal Grichuk hauled it in while standing at the wall.
In fact, no Cubs came around to score at all as the Cardinals notched a 4-0 victory.
The defense was outstanding behind Lackey. Third baseman Matt Carpenter made a nifty play in the second inning. Center fielder Jason Heyward made a diving catch in the third and first baseman Stephen Piscotty made a nice pick on a low throw later that frame. Mark Reynolds, who took over for Piscotty at first (Piscotty stayed in the game in the outfield), turned a first-to-second double play to end the seventh.
MORE: Wong hits 'The Whip' after hitting double
There have been only two no-hitters in MLB postseason history, of course. Don Larsen threw his famous perfect game for the Yankees against the Dodgers in the 1956 World Series, and Phillies ace Roy Halladay threw a no-no in Game 1 of Philadelphia's 2010 NLDS against the Reds.
St. Louis broke open a tight game in the bottom of the eighth against Cubs starter Jon Lester and reliever Pedro Strop. Thomas Pham hit a long pinch-hit solo home run off Lester, and Piscotty launched a two-run shot off Strop.
The Cardinals will try to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series Saturday at Busch Stadium (5:30 p.m. ET, TBS).
Sporting News Media's Tom Gatto contributed to this report.
