SAN FRANCISCO -- Needing one win in two games to return to the World Series, the Cardinals had to play Sunday night's Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Giants without their third-place hitter.
Left fielder Matt Holliday was scratched from the Cardinals' original lineup because of lower back tightness. Matt Carpenter was inserted into the lineup at first base, with Allen Craig shifting to left field.
Carlos Beltran, who has been batting second for the Cardinals, moved into Holliday's third spot. Carpenter will bat second.
Holliday is only 4-for-21 with no extra-base hits and just two RBI in the NLCS, after also going 4-for-21 against the Nationals in the Division Series. His biggest moment of the NLCS to date is his Game 1 slide into Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro.
Holliday led the Cardinals with 102 RBI during the regular season.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Holliday has been battling back issues for a while. He attempted to take batting practice on Sunday, but his back acted up.
