St. Louis Cardinals' Matt Carpenter celebrates after scoring from second on a hit by Carlos Beltran during the third inning of Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday in St. Louis. The Cardinals overwhelmed the Dodgers 9-0 and advanced to the World Series 4-2. [Photo by Jeff Roberson/Associated Press]

"I think the first time we faced him he was very tough," Beltran said. "This time he was a little off, but that doesn't mean anything."

Perhaps showing the Cardinals weren't stressed by the possibility of a second straight postseason meltdown, Games 1 and 5 starter Joe Kelly had a post-national anthem staredown against Dodgers reserve outfielder Scott van Slyke that was broken up by a fed-up home plate umpire Greg Gibson after several minutes.

Kelly blinked first all in good fun but, when it counted, St. Louis wouldn't budge.

"It was just something fun to start the game off," van Slyke said. "I don't think I've ever talked to Joe."Beltran followed Carpenter's gritty double with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead.

Mattingly thought Carpenter's grinding at-bat was the key.

"From there," Mattingly said, "it just seemed like the flood gates opened ... Took a lot out of him."

With two outs, Yadier Molina added an RBI single, Shane Robinson drove in two runs with a single in his first career postseason start after replacing slumping Jon Jay - and advanced to second base on Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig's first of two errors in the Cardinals' big innings.

The Cuban defector was booed heartily. Hanley Ramirez, a last-minute addition to the Dodgers' lineup, went 0 for 3 while playing with a broken rib.

Kershaw was charged with seven runs on 10 hits in four-plus innings on Friday. The lefty led the majors in ERA the past three years but has lost five straight starts against St. Louis.

"He's the best pitcher in baseball. He's a real tough at-bat," Carpenter said. He got ahead of me like he almost always does. I struck out my first at-bat. And honestly, when he got two strikes on me the second at-bat, my mindset immediately changed. I'm not striking out.