Matt Carpenter received a standing ovation when he returned to St. Louis on Friday night to face the Cardinals, where he spent the first 11 years of his big-league career.
“A lot of emotions,” Carpenter said. “Spent a lot of time here and have a lot of great memories. Played a lot of games in this ballpark. It was a special moment.”
Carpenter experienced his peak in St. Louis, which included three All-Star seasons and two years in which he led the league in doubles. It also included his time where he lost his swing, eventually leading to his big-league exile before the Yankees took a flier on him, which he has rewarded with 2013-type numbers.
But Carpenter wasn’t thinking about all that when facing his former team on Friday, and that focus showed with a two-hit night.
“Once the lights go on and you’re in the competition, you’re caught in the moment and try to execute your game plan,” Carpenter said. “Didn’t have much trouble with that.”
Carpenter almost made his return extra special when he got a hold of a pitch in the seventh that he drove all the way to the wall in right field, just missing a home run. But Carpenter played in Busch Stadium long enough to know that he needed a little more behind the swing.
“If you think there’s a chance, there’s usually not,” Carpenter said. “You usually know if you got it. If you ever say ‘maybe’ most of the time here, it’s not. I hit it good, but I used the word ‘maybe,’ and it doesn’t usually work here.”
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