The Chicago Cubs, who adopted mostly a "big ball" approach this season by mashing 171 homers and finishing next to last in the National League in sacrifice bunts at 32, played the smallest of "small ball" for most of the second inning Saturday in which they scored their first runs (five) of the series.
Owing to an impressive Cubs bullpen effort and much stouter defense, those early marks proved to be enough for a 6-3 series-tying win over a suddenly power-dominant Cardinals team in Game 2 of the National League division series.
But, with runners at first and third and one out in the Chicago second, the Cardinals, leading 1-0 after Matt Carpenter's first-inning homer, had manager Joe Maddon and his Cubs backed into a corner.