“Yadi is the heart and soul of that team,” said Lawless, who lives in St. Louis and was on the Cards’ World Series team in 1985, too. “It’s been that way for a long time. A lot of good things seem to happen when Yadi comes up in key situations.”

Such as, two innings before.

As time goes on — especially if the Cardinals go on to the National League Championship Series — the memory of Monday will be the sac-fly and the bat-flip. But Molina’s at-bat in the eighth inning was the biggest at-bat of the season, and it captured everything that makes Yadi Yadi. There was drama and timeliness and savvy hitting and a smile you could see from the upper deck.

The Braves only needed four more outs to win this National League Division Series. The Cardinals, yet again, weren’t hitting consistently. At least this game, their few hits were homers. But still, the Cards trailed 4-3, with two outs in the eighth. Paul Goldschmidt stood on second base, seemingly waiting for the bat boy to bring out his glove and cap.