There was a silence in the crowd when Yadier Molina hunched over at the plate after a ground out in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series. The St. Louis Cardinals' backbone was hurt and the team was losing. They were on the verge of going down 2-0 to the San Francisco Giants. However, the guys in the lineup got the long ball working again to bring the spirits back up just as they had done during the regular season when Molina was out. The emotional swing and the result of Game 2 should show everyone that the Cards can move on without Molina.

Molina was out for an extended period of time from July to August. The Cardinals still managed to win the NL Central. The got into the NLCS even though Molina did not bat a run in during the previous series. He had only one extra-base hit and struck out three times. He has two singles against the Giants, but the Cardinals have things all square in the series.

It is hard to live up to the standard that Molina set for himself over the past few years, but it may be a surprise to some that his season stats don't match up to what has become the norm. He allowed 22 wild pitches, which was his 2013 total, but it came in 24 less games. His power was gone after his thumb injury and his batting average was only .250 in September. It has been a frustrating year for Molina. 

This team has been saved by Matt Adams, Kolten Wong and Matt Carpenter. They have found the ability to hit the ball out of the park that was missing during the regular season. Now with guys spraying the ball all over they can take advantage of the big outfield in San Francisco. Not to mention, the Giants have not exactly used the running game to get ahead in the postseason. Given the magic that St. Louis seems to have A.J. Pierzynski could end up with a pivotal hit in this series. 

It is unclear how long Molina could be out. If they were to advance to the World Series his absence could be felt as the American League champion tries to steal their way around the bases. For now, all is not lost for St. Louis. They've gotten to this point without the best Molina can offer, so why not the World Series?