Cards lose star C Molina to injury

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Sunday, October 12, 2014 9:50pm

ST. LOUIS - Cardinals C Yadier Molina 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 Sunday night. Cruz's passed ball helped the Giants go ahead 3-2 in the seventh.

Molina hardly budged from the batter's box when he grounded into a double play against Giants LH 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.

WAINWRIGHT TIRED: Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright insists he's fine physically, though he has failed to make it through the fifth inning in both of his postseason starts.

GM John Mozeliak said he thinks the ace's workload has simply taken a toll. Mozeliak said it might be a good idea in the offseason to figure how to cut down on all those innings.

'From an aggregate standpoint, there's a lot of volume that he's exposed to,' Mozeliak said. 'My view on this is there may be a little bit of fatigue, plus he had a robust September.'

Counting the postseason, Wainwright has pitched 512⅔ innings the past two years. That's by far the most in the majors.

DUFFY DEFIANT: Royals LHP Danny Duffy hasn't pitched in the postseason, though more than a month has passed since he walked off the mound after one pitch at Yankee Stadium, long enough for his shoulder inflammation to subside.

He insists that he doesn't mind, hasn't asked manager Ned Yost why and is frankly tired of people asking about his health.

'I can tell you that it's really starting to get old, hearing that question,' Duffy said. 'It's something that people, I guess, need to know, but it doesn't matter. It's mind-blowing to me, because we have done so well this postseason. To focus on a lack of pitching from somebody? I'm ready when I'm needed. And I haven't been needed.'

GIANTS FILL ROTATION: RHP Tim Hudson will start Game 3 of the NLCS on Tuesday, and RHP Ryan Vogelsong will go in Game 4, Giants manager Bruce Bochy confirmed. Both had strong outings in the NLDS.

VARGAS FOR K.C.: LHP Jason Vargas will be the Royals' starting pitcher for Game 4 of the ALCS on Tuesday night. Vargas had a 3.71 ERA in 187 innings during the regular season and pitched six solid innings against the Angels in his one ALDS start.

AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Royals 2, Orioles 0 (All games TBS)

Game 1: Royals 8, Orioles 6, 10

Game 2: Royals 6, Orioles 4

Baca Juga

Tonight: at Kansas City, 8

Tuesday: at Kansas City, 8

Wednesday*: at Kansas City, 4

Friday*: at Baltimore, 8

Saturday*: at Baltimore, 8

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Giants 1, Cardinals 1

Game 1: Giants 3, Cardinals 0

Sunday: Cardinals 5, Giants 4