In a significant hockey game, coaches and broadcasters talk about the importance of the visiting team scoring a quick goal so it can get the crowd out of it. I don't know if that carries over to baseball, and I suspect it does not carry over to baseball, but the St. Louis Cardinals are going to find out if that carries over to baseball.
Why? Because they scored a quick run! In the top of the first inning of the first game of the NLCS, the Cardinals have taken a 1-0 lead over the Brewers. Zack Greinke retired the first guy he faced, but then he walked Jon Jay on seven pitches. Albert Pujols followed with a flare to right-center, and while Greinke eased his burden by striking out Lance Berkman, he wasn't out of trouble. He still had to get through Matt Holliday, and he couldn't get through Matt Holliday, as Holliday squibbed a grounder through the hole between first and second base.
It wasn't the most well-struck hit that's ever been hit, but it got through, and it was slow enough to allow Jay to come all the way around from second. Yadier Molina popped out to end the inning, but thanks to a walk and two soft singles, the Cards are on top, and Jaime Garcia has a lead to protect.