The Los Angeles Dodgers had just completed a National League division series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with a 5-1 victory Saturday night.
In three games they kept Albert Pujols (notes) quiet, defeated Chris Carpenter (notes), survived Adam Wainwright (notes) and made Matt Holliday (notes) blush.
No amount of bubbly could obscure the sober truth: The Dodgers need to reach the World Series to make this season more than seven months of running in place.