LOS ANGELES -- The Cardinals have been this close to the World Series before, and they dont want to blow it this time. St. Louis got home runs from Matt Holliday and pinch-hitter Shane Robinson -- the first of the NL championship series -- and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 Tuesday night for a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven playoff. The Cardinals have lost the NLCS both times they owned such a commanding lead, most recently last season when they dropped three in a row to San Francisco, the eventual World Series winner. "Thats something that we thought last year -- up 3-1 and all we have to do is win one more and were there," closer Trevor Rosenthal said. "But that didnt work out, so weve just got to keep the same approach." With a quick turnaround for Game 5 Wednesday afternoon in Los Angeles, the Dodgers will try to forget the loss, and hope the Cardinals remember their recent past failures. "We get into a Game 7, those things (losing a 3-1 lead) will creep into their heads over there," Dodgers infielder Adrian Gonzalez said. "Our goal is definitely to push this to a Game 7." Joe Kelly will start Game 5 for the Cardinals, looking to clinch their 19th pennant. The Dodgers will turn to Zack Greinke, and if he can help deliver a win, theyll call on ace Clayton Kershaw for a potential Game 6 back in St. Louis. "Ive got one of the best pitchers in baseball pitching tomorrow," manager Don Mattingly said. "If we come out here and play well tomorrow and get a win, Ive probably got the best pitcher in baseball pitching the next day." The Dodgers hope star shortstop Hanley Ramirez can again start despite a broken left rib. He left in the middle of the sixth after striking out three times. "It felt worse than yesterday," Ramirez said. "It makes me angry." Cardinals infielder David Freese came out after six innings for defence. He left Mondays game with a cramp in his right calf, but manager Mike Matheny said Freese was fine. In a series starved for offence, the Cardinals scored as many runs as they did in the first three games combined, when the teams totalled nine. Hitless in his previous 22 at-bats at Dodger Stadium, Holliday drove a two-run shot off Ricky Nolasco an estimated 426 feet to left field, capping a three-run third inning that gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. "Thats about as good as I can hit one," said Holliday, who was 0 for 13 in the series before connecting. "I wasnt really doubting my swing at all. I felt actually really good with my at-bats. Sometimes in this game you dont always get the results that you want even if you feel like youre having good at-bats, so I just wanted to stay with it," he said. Seeking a second World Series title in three years, St. Louis turned three important double plays and picked off a runner at second base in the seventh. Defensive standout Pete Kozma, inserted at shortstop in the sixth, started a difficult double play and darted in to complete the pickoff. "A great heads-up play by him," Matheny said. "Then it has to be natural instincts and athleticism by (reliever) Carlos Martinez, and I dont know many guys pull that off. He has such athletic moves. Hes quick in everything he does. Then to have the guts to wheel and let it fly like that in a game like we have right now, its off the charts." Second baseman Matt Carpenter also keyed St. Louis sharp work with the gloves, one night after some sloppy play was costly in a 3-0 defeat. Carpenter had an RBI double in the third that scored Descalso, who hit a leadoff single. Carpenter came around on Hollidays homer after there were none in the first three games for the first time in NLCS history. Martinez pitched two scoreless innings to help nail down the win for starter Lance Lynn, who allowed two runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings. He struck out five and walked three. Trevor Rosenthal got three outs for his second save in the series. After a leadoff single by Andre Ethier in the ninth, Yasiel Puig grounded into a double play. Juan Uribe struck out to end it, leaving the Dodgers on the brink of elimination. Robinsons home run bounced off the top of the wall in left field on a 1-0 pitch from J.P. Howell with one out in the seventh, extending the Cardinals lead to 4-2. "For a little guy, hes got surprising power," Holliday said. "I mean, honestly, hes got some thump." The Dodgers were down 4-2 in the seventh when Nick Punto doubled with one out. Martinez, however, picked off Punto before throwing another pitch and then retired Carl Crawford on an inning-ending groundout. "It was a lonely place to be," Punto said. Trailing 3-2, the Dodgers put the potential tying run on base in the sixth when Puig singled to chase Lynn. Uribe grounded into a double play against Seth Maness to end the inning. Nolasco allowed three runs and three hits in four innings. He struck out four and walked one. "I felt my stuff was good for the most part," he said. "Just that one pitch was the difference in the game." Jerome Brown Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings (3) - Early goal against was on the power play. Wilbert Montgomery Youth Jersey . Harrison Barnes had 15 points and Reggie Bullock scored 11 for the Tar Heels (17-3, 4-1 ACC), who took the court for the first time without starter Dexter Strickland. The junior guard tore his right ACL last Thursday at Virginia Tech and will miss the rest of the season. https://www.eaglessportsgoods.com/Womens...nverted-Jersey/. The question is how many minutes will be available to them and can any of their defence or goaltending provide value? Top Picks: Following a down year in 2011-2012, Matt Duchene rebounded with his highest points-per-game (0. Ron Jaworski Eagles Jersey .C. -- Martin Kaymer set a U. Herman Edwards Eagles Jersey . With newly minted president of hockey operations Trevor Linden looking on from above one day after being handed the keys to the franchise, it was more of the same on Thursday night.PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks took on the big boys of Major League Baseball in the competition to land Japanese pitching sensation Masahiro Tanaka only to see him sign, hardly to anyones surprise, with the New York Yankees. Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers, speaking to a handful of reporters in a conference call on Wednesday, thanked the teams ownership for allowing him, for what he said was the first time, to "sit at the table in a high stakes poker game for one of the elite free agents." Towers said the Diamondbacks made "a very competitive offer." But not competitive enough. The 25-year-old right-handers deal with the Yankees pays him $155 million over seven years, in addition to the $20 million due as a posting fee to his Japanese club. Now Towers moves on in search, via free agency or a trade, of help for the Diamondbacks rotation, seeking either a No. 1 starter or a strong No. 2. And, he said, those are hard to find. The Diamondbacks contingent of managing partner Ken Kendrick, Towers, manager Kirk Gibson and star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt met with Tanaka and his entourage about three weeks ago. "All you can do is put your best foot forward, which is what we did," Towers said. The Diamondbacks emphasized their family atmosphere, the weather, the factt that the team trains in Arizona.dddddddddddd Tanaka would have been the unquestioned No. 1 pitcher on the staff. That and what undoubtedly was a substantial money offer, certainly by Diamondbacks standards, wasnt enough. There is no large Japanese community in Phoenix. Towers said international players often are lured by the "Yankee pinstripes." He noted the Yankees have two veteran Japanese pitchers who can ease Tanaka into his new life. The Diamondbacks will continue to see what the possibilities are for landing a pitcher. "It doesnt stop just because we didnt get Tanaka," Towers said. But the Diamondbacks dont want to sign any pitcher to a contract longer than three years, Tanaka being an obvious exception. Unsigned free agent starters include Ervin Santana, Matt Garza and Ubaldo Jimenez. Towers insisted that if Arizona does not acquire another starter, hes comfortable with the returning staff, specifically mentioning the possibility of talented young flame-thrower Archie Bradley competing for a spot in the rotation this spring. Because of their early-season trip to Australia to face the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Diamondbacks will be the first team to gather for spring training. Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 6 with the full squad due on Feb. 11. ' ' '