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The St. Louis Cardinals faithful at Busch Stadium are probably still used to brilliant postseason catches in center field after years of watching Jim Edmonds do it, but that didn't keep them from erupting when they watched Jon Jay rob the Washington Nationals' Danny Espinosa in the sixth inning of NLDS Game 2. The catch, coming an inning after the Nats hit back-to-back home runs off Lance Lynn, saved a leadoff extra-base hit and probably made reliever Joe Kelly very happy. The video is available at MLB.com, and absolutely worth watching; the roar of the crowd and the uncertainty of the broadcasters adds a certain something. But if you'd like to save yourself some time I invite you to enjoy this exquisite animated GIF, preferably over and over.
Jon Jay was one of the Cardinals' numerous offensive stars as well on Monday, hitting a triple and driving in three runs from the leadoff spot; in three not-quite-full seasons Jay has emerged as an unlikely .300 hitter and an increasingly valuable on-base threat. But after the NLDS is over, all anybody will remember is how little he fears running at full speed into the outfield wall.