Yesterday's rain-out may have been today's moment of fortune for Cardinals' starting first baseman Matt Carpenter. Stepping up to the plate with the bases loaded in the 11th inning, Carpenter hit a walk-off grand slam to close out the first game of today's double header.

Seizing a golden-ring opportunity

The early innings of the afternoon match-up between the Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals brought little excitement. The Blue Jays took an early lead as Russell Martin slammed a second inning home run. From that point on until the bottom of the ninth, the Jays maintained the lead.

The Cardinals were seemingly on a collision course to post a loss in the afternoon game.

The tide turned, however, in the bottom of the ninth. With Toronto's Roberto Osuna on the mound, Randal Grichuk stepped up and hit a two run homer, sending the game into extra innings. Two innings later, St. Louis' Kolton Wong hit a triple. Hedging their bet, the Blue Jays loaded the bases by walking the next two batters, bringing Carpenter to the plate. His batting average (.236) is neither stellar nor mediocre, and the Jays were certain that they could coax an out from his at-bat. They were wrong.

Carpenter delivers first Cardinals grand slam walk-off home run since 2008

With a full house of fans on their feet and a full house of Cardinals on base, Carpenter faced Toronto reliever J.P.

Howell, slamming it out of right field to end the game. The daytime crowd, already attending the rescheduled game from the previous rained-out evening, had no thoughts of witnessing a baseball fan fantasy that had not happened since Cardinals' Eric Miles hit a ninth inning grand slam dinger to close a sweep of the San Diego Padres.

Heading into the second game of the double-header, the fans were likely expecting more of the same. But both teams fully utilized their pitching power in the first eleven innings. In the first game, St. Louis pitcher Carlos Martinez picked up a no-decision, pitching six innings and leaving the game three runs down. The Cardinals then proceeded to run through four bullpen pitchers and the Jays six.

Regardless of the outcome of the second game, the action that happened in the first is sure to elevate the level of excitement for the St. Louis evening crowd. It's difficult to capture the attention of any crowd for more 18+ innings from afternoon to evening. Matt Carpenter's slam is sure to make him the sports hero of the day and fill the stadium with double-header baseball mojo.

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