Despite a victory in the last day of the regular season, the Saint Louis Cardinals (86-76) failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
Matt Carpenter homered and Randall Grichuk hit a two-run double in a six-run seventh inning as the Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-4. However, the Cards were eliminated during the course of that game after the San Francisco Giants (87-75) defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-7 to clinch the National League’s second wild card.
Outfielder Denard Span hit a two run triple and catcher Buster Posey batted in three runs to help the Giants sweep the Dodgers and continue their even year success stories.
The Giants won the World Series in 2012 and 2014, with the latter year doing it as second wild card.
The Giants will now fly to New York to play the defending National League Champion New York Mets (87-75) in the Wild Card Game to decide who will face the Chicago Cubs, the team with the best record in baseball, in the National League Division Series.
In the other N.L.D.S the Washington Nationals, winners of the National League East, will host the Los Angeles Dodgers, winners of the N.L West.
The N.L Wild Card Game takes place on Wednesday at City Field with Madison Burgarner starting for the Giants and Noah Syndergaard pitching for the Mets.
On Friday, for the first game of the N.L.D.S between the Los Angeles and Washington, Clayton Kershaw will go for the visiting Dodgers and Max Scherzer for the Nats.
