Years from now, when baseball historians reflect on the career of Chris Carpenter, they may wonder if his story from 2012 was embellished.

In July, most everyone thought his season was over following an unusual surgery in which Carpenter had a rib removed to repair a nerve issue causing shoulder weakness. The St. Louis Cardinals ace brought the rib home to daughter Ava — true story — and didn't win his first game of the season until Wednesday's playoff against the Nationals.

The Trinity of Manchester graduate worked into the sixth inning without allowing a run, leading the Cardinals to an 8-0 triumph in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. Carpenter also singled and doubled (nearly homering) as the Cards gained a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. The 37-year-old scattered seven hits while picking up a franchise-record 10th career postseason win.

Carpenter had mixed results in three starts at the end of the regular season, going 0-2 (3.71 ERA), though it shouldn't be surprising he shut down the Nationals in the playoffs. After all, the two-time World Series champion is one baseball's great big-game pitchers.

“I challenge myself in many ways, and this was another challenge mentally to go out and make pitches and do the things that you're supposed to do to be successful,” said Carpenter, who owns a 10-2 career record in the postseason. “No matter if I've got one start, no starts, or 35 starts, the bottom line is you go out there on the mound and make pitches and eliminate all of the distractions, and I was able to do that for the most part today.”

Carpenter, who began his career with the Blue Jays, owns a lifetime 144-94 record and 3.76 ERA. Those aren't Hall of Fame-worthy numbers, but if he keeps winning postseason games and notches another World Series title, he'll be in the discussion.

Wednesday afternoon was a time to stop and smell the roses for Carpenter. He'd finally made it back, notching a string of zeroes on the scoreboard and celebrating another win.

“When I walked up, in my first atbat, Joe West, the umpire, said to me something about a beautiful day to play baseball. And I was like, 'Yeah, you know what? You're right.' It was a fantastic day. Great weather. Crowd was amazing.

“This is what you play for and I was, definitely.”

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny, a former catcher with the Blue Jays, back when Carpenter was a 24-year-old full of promise, has seen the evolution of the 6-foot-6 right-hander.

“He has the makeup that's very unique with the kind of stuff he has, and then going out and trying to make other people better,” said Matheny, pointing to Carpenter's leadership. “What he does for a club is invaluable. His stuff is still crisp, and he knows how to use it. He's a smart pitcher and that's how guys stick around this long. He's turned into somebody that's just an invaluable asset to us.”

Carpenter began the season on the disabled list, uncertain of the plan ahead to repair nerve-related shoulder weakness. After overcoming many injuries throughout a 15-year career in the majors — and recovering from labrum surgery and Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery — Carpenter takes nothing for granted in baseball.

“To be honest with you, with everything that's gone on in my career, I'm playing with fire all the time. I'm OK with it. You deal with injuries in this business,” he told the New Hampshire Union Leader earlier this season. “You never want an injury to end your career, but you deal with it all the time in this business. Fortunately, we have great trainers and doctors that get you back on the field.”

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SOX UPDATE: Blue Jays manager John Farrell isn't the only candidate for the vacant managerial position in Boston. The Red Sox plan to interview Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach on Friday and throughout the weekend, according to published reports. Wallach, 55, was a five-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner during his career with the Montreal Expos. He also played for the Dodgers and Angels. Dartmouth College graduate Brad Ausmus, who interviewed for the Astros managerial opening, may also be among the list of names on Boston's wish list.

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Staff writer Kevin Gray covers pro baseball for the New Hampshire Union Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News. His email address is kgray@unionleader.com. Twitter: @graymatter11.