ST. LOUIS (AP) – Star catcher Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals has left Game 2 of the NL Championship Series with a strained muscle on his left side.
Molina was replaced by Tony Cruz in the top of the seventh inning with the score tied 2-all Sunday night. Cruz’s passed ball helped the Giants go ahead in the seventh.
Molina hardly budged from the batter’s box when he grounded into a double play against San Francisco reliever Jeremy Affeldt in the sixth. The six-time All-Star remained hunched over until a trainer and manager Mike Matheny came out to meet him. Molina walked off on his own, but was clearly in pain.
Molina, who missed seven weeks this season with a thumb injury, has won six straight Gold Gloves and finished third in NL MVP voting last year. His loss was a huge blow to the Cardinals, who trailed 1-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Cards C Molina leaves game with strained oblique
By Shah