Wainwright Huge in Cards' Clincher

DENVER -- Adam Wainwright's line in the box score tells you all sorts of things about how well he pitched in the Cardinals' 6-3 division-clinching victory over the Rockies on Saturday night.

But the number that ought to stick out the most is the one at the end, beyond the eight innings and three runs.

One hundred thirty.

Wainwright threw 130 pitches, most for any Cardinals pitcher in more than five years, and the last one was one of the best, a sick 1-2 curve ball that struck out pinch-hitter Jason Giambi with two on in the eighth.

A bit later, as the Cardinals were drenched in champagne and beer -- Budweiser, of course -- manager Tony La Russa looked back in wonderment, seeing more than just one victory.

"He might have won the (Cy Young) that eighth inning," La Russa said. "We needed that. To reach into his reserves, that was. ... He might have won the award."

Coming through with the late-inning clutch out, Wainwright reached back to his days as the closer who helped the Cardinals to a World Series title in 2006. Wainwright had been staked to a 3-0 lead before he threw his first pitch of the night, but the path to his 19th victory wouldn't be an easy one.

Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez tightened up, and the Rockies pecked away at Wainwright. They scored a run on an error in the third and two on Brad Hawpe's homer in the fourth, tying the game.

So after the Cardinals retook the lead in the seventh on a homer by backup catcher Jason LaRue, playing only because Yadier Molina bruised his left knee, Wainwright made himself a promise.

"To be honest, the seventh and eighth was the best I felt all night," he said. "I think I had some major adrenaline going there. I had already blown one lead. I wasn't going to blow another."

A seven-pitch seventh inning allowed Wainwright to get back out in the eighth. La Russa, who at times seems like he's being paid by the pitching change, sat on his hands in the dugout. The bullpen was quiet.

Even when Wainwright gave up a one-out single to Yorvit Torrealba.

Even when he walked Hawpe.

Even when Rockies manager Jim Tracy played his best card, so to speak, bringing up Giambi.

The former MVP has quickly become a pinch-hitting specialist, whacking four hits in his first seven at-bats in that role with Colorado. One of those was a night earlier, setting up a Rockies ninth-inning victory.

Normally, a manager might call for his lefty to face Giambi.

Nothing.

"He was throwing the ball great," La Russa said, explaining that the climbing pitch-count wasn't an issue because Wainwright had an extra day before this start, and will have an extra day before his next one.

Besides, if the Cardinals could win this game, they'd have all sorts of time to get people the rest they need over the final week.

Wainwright got ahead of Giambi 1-2 and then dropped a curve ball just over the inside corner at the bottom of the zone, too far down or too far inside, judging by the Rockies reaction.

"That's as high as I wanted it right there," Wainwright said. "I didn't want it any higher than that. He was going to have to beat me on the ground."

By the time the Rockies got their next shot, the Cardinals had padded the lead to 6-3 on Ryan Ludwick's pinch-hit homer in the ninth. Closer Ryan Franklin, himself a bit shaky lately, allowed a couple baserunners in the ninth before finally quieting the towel-waving crowd with a game-ending groundout.

The Cardinals had a subdued celebration on the field. La Russa said they wanted to be respectful to the Rockies, a team they may see again in October. If these two teams do match up again -- and the current standings would have them meeting in the first round -- Friday's 2-1 Colorado victory and this game certainly would indicate a taut series.

"That was a playoff atmosphere," Wainwright said. "The crowd was amazing. Our team was playing great, taking great at-bats against a guy throwing 99 mph. I was not holding anything back. I was going to give the very best I had for the win."