After being a strike away from elimination Friday night, the St. Louis Cardinals are now very much alive as they try to defend their World Series crown. Just 48 hours after a dramatic comeback to win the Division Series over the Washington Nationals, St. Louis took Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, 6-4, over the San Francisco Giants.

St. Louis put up two in the second on a two-run homer from David Freese. They would add four more runs in the top of the fourth, two of them coming on a two-run shot from Carlos Beltran. Those runs were enough to hold up for a bullpen that pitched 5-1/3 innings after Lance Lynn gave up four in the bottom of the fourth.

Edward Mujica officially collected the win by striking out the side on 13 pitches in the seventh. Jason Motte gave up a hit, but got out of the ninth without any other damage to earn the save.

Madison Bumgarner took the loss for San Francisco.