Lackey regrets 'one big mistake' in season-ending loss

John Lackey says the shortest playoff start of his career came down to execution. Unfortunately for Lackey and the St. Louis Cardinals, the veteran right-hander just didn't hit his spots.

Pitching on three days' rest in Tuesday's elimination game, Lackey was chased by the Chicago Cubs from Game 4 after just three innings and 49 pitches - a stark contrast from the memorable performance he delivered in the Cardinals' series-opening win.

"Honestly, I felt better tonight than I did in the first game," said Lackey, who threw 7 1/3 shutout innings in Game 1. "I thought my stuff was really good. I made one big mistake."

Related: Cubs' youth knocks out Cards to advance to NLCS

The mistake he's referring to is the three-run homer surrendered to second baseman Javier Baez, who jumped all over Lackey's first-pitch fastball to give the Cubs an early 4-2 lead in their eventual 6-4 series-clinching win.

"If I had that one pitch to go back, I would definitely do something different," said Lackey, who showed visible emotion after allowing the big blast. "I threw a pitch, kind of over the plate, to a hacker. And he ran into one."

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

Lackey was pinch hit for during the fourth and exited to a final line of four runs on four hits with five strikeouts and one walk. It was the shortest outing in his 20 postseason starts, but Cardinals first baseman Mark Reynolds believes the 36-year-old might have been too hard on himself.

"Lack pitched unbelievable," Reynolds said. "I have so much respect for that guy. He made a great pitch to Baez. You have to tip your hat to him for staying on it and driving it out the other way. We just came up short."