Cardinals vs. Dodgers live score, updates, highlights from the 2021 NL wild-card game

The Dodgers and Cardinals knew how to finish the season strong.

Los Angeles had been chasing the Giants for most of the final month, and though it settled for the first wild card spot, LA still finished with the second-best win percentage from September till the end of the regular season (.759, just behind San Francisco’s .767).

The third-hottest team? That would be the Cardinals, who stunned the baseball world by rattling off a 17-game win streak to salvage what seemed like a lost season and ultimately run away with the second wild card spot behind a .719 winning percentage from September through the end of the year.

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These two red-hot ball clubs will each turn to seasoned starting pitchers, with the Cardinals rolling with 40-year-old Adam Wainwright and the Dodgers turning to 37-year-old Max Scherzer.

After pitching to a 3.05 ERA, his lowest in a full season since 2014, Wainwright will be appearing in his ninth postseason. He has a career 2.89 postseason ERA in 109 innings of work and has struck out 118 batters.

Scherzer might be the NL favorite after joining the Dodgers midseason in a trade with the Nationals. He’ll now be making his eighth trip to the playoffs. He has a career ERA of 3.38 in 112 innings with 137 strikeouts, having made appearances with the Tigers, Nationals and now the Dodgers.

Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights from Cardinals vs. Dodgers in the 2021 MLB postseason. Follow below for complete results from the National League wild-card game.

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Cardinals vs. Dodgers score

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Cardinals vs. Dodgers live updates, highlights from 2021 NL wild-card game

8:41 p.m.: Second walk of the afternoon as Harrison Bader takes a few close pitches inside to reach first.

8:39 p.m.: Scherzer throws a fastball right by Sosa for the swinging strike three.

8:34 p.m.: The pitch by Wainwright: 86.1 mph. The comebacker: 100.5 mph.

8:33 p.m. End of First: Justin Turner hits a liner right back to the mound, but Wainwright makes the catch to end the inning. 

8:30 p.m.: Sosa drops the liner off the bat of Turner, but flips over to second to get Betts for the forceout. Two outs.

8:29 p.m.: Seager is caught looking at a 92 mph sinker that hits the inside edge. Trea Turner now up to the plate.

8:27 p.m.: That hit from Betts was 99.1 mph off the bat and had an expected batting average of .510, per Baseball Savant.

8:26 p.m.: Betts hits a rocket on the ground to shortstop that Edmundo Sosa gets a glove on with a slide, but he can’t make the play. Dodgers get the leadoff hitter aboard.

8:22 p.m. End Top First: Yadier Molina flies out to center to end the inning, but St. Louis will hand the ball to Adam Wainwright with the lead.

8:21 p.m.: Dylan Carlson rolls one up the middle that Corey Seager can’t get a grip on right away. His throw is too late as Carlson reaches first on the E6.

8:20 p.m.: Arenado flies out to left for the second out.

8:19 p.m. Cardinals scoring play: St. Louis is on the board. Scherzer bounces one in the dirt, and the speedy Edman darts home to score. Goldschmidt moves up to second. Cardinals take a 1-0 lead.

8:17 p.m.: Betts makes a great play at the right field wall in foul territory to set down Tyler O’Neill, but Edman tags up from second and advances to third. Runners on the corners for Nolan Arenado.

8:16 p.m.: Goldschmidt takes the walk and Max Scherzer now has to deal with runners on first and second with no one out.

8:15 p.m.: Edman swipes second to give Paul Goldschmidt a runner in scoring position as he faces a 2-2 count.

8:12 p.m.: Edman drops in a single in front of Mookie Betts in right to lead off the inning.

8:10 p.m.: The NL Wild Card game between the Dodgers and Cardinals is underway, as Tommy Edman takes a ball to start the game.

7:55 p.m.: We’re about 15 minutes away from the start of this one. Here are the starting lineups for each team.

Cardinals vs. Dodgers start time

• First pitch: 8:10 p.m. ET | 5:10 p.m. PT

First pitch for Cardinals vs. Dodgers is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 6.

How to watch MLB playoff games

• TV channel: TBS
• Live stream: TBS App

TBS will begin its coverage of the National League playoffs with the NL wild card game. Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur and Lauren Shehadi will be on the call for the game. Those looking to stream it can find the game on the TBS app.

In Canada, all postseason games are available on Sportsnet and SN1.

MLB playoff schedule 2021

National League

Wild card

Division Series

TBS will handle the broadcast for all NLDS games in both series.

*If necessary

Championship Series

TBS will continue its National League playoff coverage with coverage of every NLCS game.

*If necessary

American League

Wild card

Division Series

MLB Network and FS1 will carry all the ALDS games, until potential Game 5s, which would be broadcast exclusively on FS1.

*If necessary

Championship Series

FOX and FS1 will split coverage of the ALCS.

*If necessary

World Series schedule

Every World Series game will be on FOX.

*If necessary