LOS ANGELES — The tone was set when everybody’s favorite “Anchorman” read the starting lineup for the Dodgers.
As comedian Will Ferrell got around to starting pitcher Zack Greinke, he ad-libbed and introduced him as “Today’s winning pitcher, Zack Greinke.’’
The Dodger Stadium crowd cheered. The Cardinals, all standing on the top step of their dugout, appeared stone-faced.
Once again, the joke and (for now) choke is on the Cardinals after leading the NLCS, 3-1.
Greinke was the winning pitcher Wednesday as the Dodgers and Adrian Gonzalez got up off the canvas and slammed the Cardinals and young Joe Kelly, 6-4, setting up a return trip to St. Louis. The Cardinals lead the series, 3-2, but the pressure is on them, again.
You remember what happened last year after the Cardinals took a 3-1 lead on the Giants in the NLCS. They got crushed, scoring one run over the final three games to lose in seven. The offense was shut down. They also lost the series against the Braves in 1996 when they took a 3-1 lead. With Wednesday’s defeat they have now lost seven in a row after taking a 3-1 NLCS lead.
The Cardinals have two games to redeem themselves and get to the World Series, and both games are at home at Busch Stadium, unlike last October when they had to go to San Francisco for Games 6 and 7.
“It’s going to be tough,’’ admitted Yadier Molina, who had a dreadful day at the plate.
With the score tied in the third, Adrian Gonzalez hit a “Meet Me in St. Louis’’ home run, a rocket into the right-field pavilion, the Dodgers’ first home run of the series. By the time the day was complete, the Dodgers tied a postseason record with four home runs.
After Gonzalez rounded the bases and neared the Dodgers dugout, he mimed Mickey Mouse ears. It was classic. After Game 3 Adam Wainwright accused Gonzalez of doing “Mickey Mouse stuff’’ on the bases. Clearly, Gonzalez is having fun.
Kelly and other Cardinals said they didn’t see the gesture. OK.
The Cardinals already are upset with Yasiel Puig’s antics. The way this is going they might enlist the Braves’ home plate guardian Brian McCann for the rest of the series.
As for Gonzalez, just call him Steamboat Willie. Gonzalez hit another solo home run in the eighth. Carl Crawford and A.J. Ellis also homered.
The Cardinals have to find a way to win one game at home. Young pitching sensation Michael Wacha goes Friday against ace Clayton Kershaw, and if there is a Game 7 it will be Wainwright vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu.
“It’s become a series people expected. I think a lot of people thought it would go back to St. Louis,’’ Cardinals third baseman David Freese said. “It’s never easy. It’s always fun, it’s always exciting, but it’s never easy.’’
The Cardinals loaded the bases with no outs in the first, and the Dodgers crowd of 53,183 and Greinke were nervous. But Greinke got it together, controlling the pace against Matt Adams and getting a huge strikeout for the first out of the inning. That brought Molina to the plate, and Greikne got Molina to bounce to third for an easy double play.
“That would give any pitcher momentum,’’ Adams said of not scoring.
Molina hit into another double play in the third after the Cardinals had scored two runs on Carlos Beltran’s RBI triple and Matt Holliday’s RBI-double to tie the game at 2-2.
“Frustrating,’’ said Molina.
Greinke went seven innings to pick up the win.
The Dodgers are hurting with Hanley Ramirez (ribs), but they survived. The pressure is on the Cardinals. Ferrell, aka Ron Burgundy, put it on them from the start Wednesday, announcing Greinke the winning pitcher during the introductions.
Freese, who has a great sense of humor, admitted he enjoyed Ferrell’s intros.
“He’s great. Anytime he starts talking, people love it,’’ Freese said. “He’s got to keep the home crowd happy.’’
The Cardinals must find a way to do the same thing Friday night.