While Cardinals win National League wild card.

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Red Sox Knocked Out of Playoffs

As a title, “ The Art of Fielding ” does double service: for this engaging first novel by Chad Harbach and for a baseball manual cherished by its protagonist, Henry Skrimshander. The book within the book was written by the fictitious Aparicio Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame shortstop for Henry’s beloved St. Louis Cardinals. So closely does Henry emulate Rodriguez that at Westish College in rural Wisconsin, where Henry plays ball, he is closing in on his mentor’s NCAA record of 51 consecutive games without an error, and the Cardinals themselves are scouting him. Read full article > >

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Book World: Chad Harbach’s “The Art of Fielding,” reviewed by Dennis Drabelle

Washington Nationals Manager Jim Riggleman had laid out countless scenarios for lineups since before spring training. Recently, when the Nationals’ offense slipped to another level of impotence, he took two of his ideas and blended them into one. The moves — bumping the pitcher to eighth in the lineup and placing Jayson Werth in the leadoff spot — were meant to provide a last-ditch shove to the offense. Whether or not the shuffle has been the source of the team’s recent surge, the Nationals have been jolted. In Wednesday’s 10-0 dismantling of the Cardinals at Nationals Park, Washington thoroughly exorcised two recent demons: an inconsistent offense and a lack of run support for starter Livan Hernandez . Read full article > >

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Nationals vs. Cardinals: Livan Hernandez pitches three-hit shutout as Washington rolls

Defense and a long bench have the Cardinals playing for a Big East tournament championship against UConn.

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Louisville 83, Notre Dame 77, OT: Louisville Erases Deficit and Heads to the Final