October 28, 2011: What a Ride!!! What a Year!!!

On October 28, 2011, with a 6-2 win in Game 7 of the World Series, the Cardinals won the 11th title in franchise history. Just one day earlier they survived Game 6 due to David Freese's late inning heroics. Twice in that fateful Game 6 the Texas Rangers were one strike away from a World Series Title, and lightning struck twice in the form of David Freese. First he tied it in the ninth with a triple, then he hit a walkoff shot that gave the Birds a 10-9 victory in the eleventh. The Game 6 victory was something you would only expect to see in a movie that probably had me on the edge of a heart attack multiple times. After the jubilation of victory passed the fact was they needed one more win to call themselves World Champions. With it all on the line Chris Carpenter made his third start of the series on three days rest and after rough first inning he settled down and turned in a performance that would help bring the club another ring. Carp gave up the only two Texas runs of the game in that first when Josh Hamilton and Michael Young connected on back-to-back RBI doubles. Things didn't go any better for the Rangers starter Matt Harrison, David Freese's hot bat tied the ballgame with a two RBI double in the bottom of the first. From there Carpenter found his groove while Harrison served up a solo shot to Allen Craig that gave the Cards a 3-2 lead and there was no looking back. The Rangers bullpen added to the Cardinals score with a bases loaded walk in the fifth, then a it batsmen one batter later to give the Cardinals a 5-2 lead. Yadi capped the scoring off with an RBI single in the seventh as the Cardinals bullpen held the Rangers in check before Jason Motte took over in the ninth. Motte made quick work of the Rangers, he got Nelson Cruz to flyout, retired Mike Napoli on a grounder, and finished it off with a David Murphy fly ball that landed in the glove of Allen Craig. As Yadi rejoiced to The God of Baseball Heaven, the Cardinals were World Champions.

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN201110280.shtml