After a dramatic, come-from-behind victory in Game 1 of the NLDS, the Cardinals suddenly find themselves very much in the drivers seat vs. the Braves, and the directions to their preferred destination arent nearly as complicated as trying to navigate Atlantas convoluted highway system.See, the Cardinals took the opener in Georgia7-6on Thursday night. In Game 2 on Friday afternoon (4:37 p.m. ET, TBS), they have Jack Flaherty lined up to start, and all Flaherty did in his final 16 starts of the regular season was compile a stunning 0.93 ERA. And after that, the series shifts back to St. Louis. Winning Game 1, by any means nece sary, was pretty much a dream Rickey Henderson Jersey scenario for the Cardinals and their playoff-starved fans.MORE: And if those fans want someone to thank for being in this situation, they should buy Ildemaro Vargas beers next time hes in St Johnny Manziel Jersey . Louis.Ill explain.See, Vargas was a rookie infielder for the Diamondbacks this season, and with one out in the ninth inning of Arizonas home game with the Cardinals on Sept. 24, Vargas hit his sixth home run of the year, off Andrew Miller. The solo homer tied the game 2-2 and kicked off the marathon portion of a game that wound up covered 19 innings and lasted nearly seven hours (6:53, to be exact).Vargas delivered the game-winner, too, an RBI single in that 19th inning.The homer had a domino effect on the Cardinals that looked, for the better part of the week, to be potentially very costly.That lo s snapped a six-game winning streak and started an unexpected skid. They lost the next game as an exhausted pitching staff even with expanded September rosters, throwing 18 pitchers in two games is a bit taxing, you know gave up nine runs.MORE: The Brewers, who seemed to stop losing after Christian Yelich went down for the year with an injury, cut St. Louis'division lead to just one game, and a division title that seemed wrapped up suddenly was back in play.A day off didnt help nearly enough. Cardinals pitchers gave up eight runs in each of the next two games, both lo ses to the Cubs at home. So instead of resting Flaherty the clear ace and postseason No. Eric Hosmer Jersey 1 starter for Game 1 of the NLDS, the Cardinals had to throw the right-hander in Game 162 against the Cubs in an attempt to avoid a Game 163 tiebreaker and San Diego Padres then, potentially, a spot in the NL wild-card game.He delivered, of course. Flaherty allowed just two hits in seven shutout innings as St. Louis cruised to a 9-0 win to wrap up the Central championship and avoid the two potential extra games that, in all likelihood, would have been too much for the already-taxed bullpen to handle.Throwing on Sept. 29, though, meant that Flaherty wouldnt be available for the NLDS opener on Oct. 3 unle s he went on short rest, which was never going to happen. Full rest meant he was going in Game 2. And that was comforting for the Cardinals. The goal for any team starting a playoff series on the road is to win one of the first two games, and Flaherty had only allowed 11 earned runs in those 16 starts we mentioned earlier.And, yeah, the win in Game 1 was unexpected. The Braves were throwing their veteran staff leader, Dallas Keuchel, and the Cardinals had countered with Miles Mikolas, the right-hander who has e sentially beenthe teams fourth-best starter in 2019. St. Louis trailed3-1before scoring six runs in a row, including four in the top of the ninth inning. Somehow, they won a game despite committing two errors and despite their closer giving up two home runs in the ninth inning.But they won, and suddenly theyre looking at Flaherty to potentially lead them to a commanding 2-0 lead in the Wil Myers Jersey best-of-five series. And the Braves, who won 97 games this year to earn home-field advantage in the NLDS, are suddenly facing a tough road to navigate.