One strike was all that stood between the Washington Nationals and advancing to the National League Championship Series. But baseball can take cruel twists.

The future is…getting here: Drew Storen made his major-league debut last night.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)Cardinals 6, Nationals 2: Much-touted reliever Drew Storen — who, if all goes to plan, will be closing every Stephen Strasburg win in a couple of years — made his major-league debut last night and didn’t allow a hit, getting a big strikeout of Matt Holliday with two on; but the Nationals still lost their fourth in a row last night against…