Cardinals' Matt Carpenter: Smacks 21st homer, knocks in four

Carpenter went 1-for-2 with a home run, four RBI and two walks during Sunday's 10-4 win over the Pirates.

Analysis:

Carpenter put St. Louis ahead with his sixth-inning three-run homer, propelling his team to a 10-4 victory on the season's final day. The long ball was his 21st of the season, and although Carpenter slumped after returning from an oblique injury in early August, he retained his pop with 19 extra-base hits over the season's final two months. Carpenter's overall numbers were excellent, as he finished at .271/.380/.505 -- nearly identical to his 2015 line of .272/.365/.505. When healthy, Carpenter is one of the better hitters in baseball with his combination of on-base skills and power.