August 31, 1926: The Cardinals Leap Into First With a Doubleheader Sweep Of The Pirates In St. Louis

On August 31, 1926, by winning both games of a doubleheader against the Pirates at Sportsman's Park, the Cardinals found themselves sitting in first place. The fans in St. Louis hadn't seen the team capture a pennant since 1888 when they were known as the Browns. The city was buzzing and the ballpark was packed as they had put together a hot month that brought them from fourth place to first place in just 3 weeks. In the first game Wee Willie Sherdel pitched a gem and his offense came through for him as they took the contest 6-1. Sherdel scattered 7 hits throughout, while Les Bell and Chick Hafey both hit home runs in the convincing win for the Birds. Alan Sothoron pitched the second game for the Cards and he held the Pirates to just 3 hits as the team took the tilt 2-1. The Pirates got their run in the fourth on a sacrifice by Kiki Cuyler but couldn't hold on as the Cards plated both of their runs in the seventh with a pair of rbi's by Jim Bottomley and Chick Hafey. Sothorn pitched the Cardinals to just three wins in '26, this by far was his biggest victory as the team made a charge for the National League flag. The next day the team finished the Pirates off with another doubleheader, sweep at the ole ballpark. Those were the last two regular season games played in St. Louis during that '26 season. The club went on a seven city road trip to finish off the campaign and it was a battle to the finish line, the Cardinals finished just two games ahead of the Reds to take home their first pennant in 38 years before winning their first World Title.

Check out the box scores
First Game: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN192608311.shtml
Second Game: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN192608312.shtml

August 30, 1941: Lon Warneke No-Hits The Reds In Cincy

On August 30, 1941, Lon Warneke pitched the fourth no-hitter in the history of the St. Louis Cardinals organization as the team beat the Reds 2-0 in Cincinnati. The Cardinals hurler allowed just one walk, while two errors accounted for two more baserunners. Not one of the those men reached second. The first man to reach was in the fifth inning when the Reds first baseman Frank McCormick hit a hotshot up the middle that second baseman Creepy Crespi mishandled and threw high and wide of first, bringing Johnny Mize off the bag. McCormick was erased just one batter later, Jim Gleeson was a strikeout victim, then Walker Cooper gunned down McCormick as he attempted to steal second, nothin like a good ole strike'em out, throw'em out double play to keep a no-no alive. Gleeson opened up the seventh with a popup over the Jimmy Brown's head, the Cardinals third baseman stumbled and fell as he attempted to retrieve it for the second Redbird error of the game. The next man up was Reds catcher Ernie Lombardi, he hit the ball straight to Crespi who turned a tailor made double play to erase both him and Gleeson. Following the double play Warneke issued a walk to Lonnie Frey, it was his only walk of the contest. The biggest scare for Warneke came after the walk when Frank McCormick hit a high fly ball that was hauled in at the left field wall by Don Padgett. It was a pitching performance that the Cardinals needed as the pitcher for the Reds, Elmer Riddle tossed a gem of his own. Riddle allowed just 5 hits with one of those hits coming off the Cardinals pitcher. While Riddle was the loser in the contest, he was not charged with an earned run as defensive miscues led to both Cardinals runs in the seventh inning. When the ninth inning rolled around and Warneke had the no-hitter intact, the crowd of nearly 10,000 began to cheer for the Cardinals pitcher in hopes that he would complete the bid. The cheers got louder after he got Lloyd Waner to popup to Marty Marion at short to record the first out, Ernie Koy followed it up with a ground ball to Marion who threw him out at first. Just one hour and forty nine minutes after Warneke had threw his first pitch, he got Bill Werber to hit a popup to Mize at first that put the no-no in the books.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN194108300.shtml

August 29, 1977: Lou Brock Becomes The All Time Stolen Base Leader

On August 29, 1977, in a game against the Padres in San Diego, Lou Brock tied then surpassed Ty Cobb to become the all time stolen base leader. Brock came into the game with 891stolen bases on his resume, just one short of Cobb's record that had stood for 49 years. The base burglar led the game off with a walk and promptly stole second to tie the long standing record. As he stole the bag the Padres catcher Dave Roberts attempted to gun him down but sailed the ball wide of the second baseman and into center. Brock alertly moved to third on the error, then was mobbed by his teammates. With the game temporarily halted due to the historic milestone second base was taken up and presented to the 38 year old Brock. When play resumed Jerry Mumphrey knocked Brock win with a single that started the scoring for the Cardinals. By the time the first inning came to an end Brock was tied with Cobb and the Birds held a 3-0 lead. The record breaking moment came in the seventh with the Birds leading 3-2, Brock reached first on a fielder's choice then surpassed Cobb as he swiped second. Once again Dave Roberts attempted to gun him down but sailed it wide of the bag, this time his shortstop kept the ball from getting out of the infield but not before Lou became the all time stolen base leader after stealing his 28th bag of the season and the 893rd bag of his career. Brock was mobbed once again, his teammates presented him the bag for the second time as he was the All Time Leader in Stolen Bases. The Cardinals skipper Vern Rapp gave his left fielder the rest of the day off as the team headed into the bottom of the seventh with the team still ahead 3-2. Unfortunately for Brock and the Birds, Mike Ivie hit a two run shot for the Padres in the eighth that led his team to a 4-3 win. It took Cobb 3,033 games over 23 years to amass 892 stolen bases, while Brock reached the mark in 2,376th game during his 16th year in the league.  Brock had just 50 steals under his belt after spending his first four years with the Cubs, when he got to St. Louis he was off and runnin as the Cardinals management realized he could wreak havoc on the basepaths.  He would lead the National League in steals eight times and lead all of the majors six times on his way to stealing his way to Cooperstown with a grand total of 938 stolen bases. As they say all records are made to be broken and a 23 year old by the name of Rickey Henderson broke Lou's single season record in 1982 by stealing a 130 bases The astounding thing about Lou's 118 in '74 was that he did that at the age of 35. Henderson also broke the all time record when he swiped 939 in May of '91. Henderson had a lot more gas in the tank after that and he finished his career with an eye popping 1,406 stolen bases. While his records were broken there is only one man you think of in St. Louis when the words stolen base popup, and that man is named Louuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Brock!!!

Check out the box score and Lou's career numbers:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN197708290.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brocklo01.shtml

August 28, 1971: Bob Gibson Dominates The Reds At Busch

On August 28, 1971, Bob Gibson struck out 13 and gave up just three hits in a 4-0 complete game win over the Cincinnati Reds at Busch. The Cardinals hurler appeared to be in a duel with the Reds starter Gary Nolan who hadn't given up a hit until Gibby tagged him for a single to lead off a two run third inning. Gibby was quickly erased from the base paths when Lou Brock hit into a fielders choice which only put Brock's speed in position to make the Reds pay, and made them pay he did. Brock stole second, then came wheeling into score after Ted Sizemore singled to left. Matty Alou followed Sizemore with another single that brought Joe Torre to the dish. Torre roped one into left that scored Sizemore and the birds were off and runnin. Nolan kept the Cardinals off the board in the fourth, but didn't have the same luck in the fifth. He gave up a one out single to Brock and once again Brock stole second and was knocked in by Sizemore. Matty Alou followed Sizemore up with another single and the Birds were rockin and rollin once again. This time Sparky Anderson chose to walk Torre to get to Ted Simmons who hit into a groundball out that forced Sizemore out at the plate, only to have Johnny Bench sail one over his first baseman's head in an attempt to double off Simmons. The error by Bench brought Alou into score the fourth Redbird run and it was all they would need as their ace was flatout dealin. Gibby had given up a single in the fourth, another in the fifth, then one more in the eighth, while walking just one man enroute to the 13 K performance that included three strikeouts of Bench.

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN197108280.shtml

August 27, 1965: Boyer's 14th Inning Double Beats The Reds In Cincy

On August 27, 1965, the Cardinals knocked the Reds off 6-5 thanks to a 14th inning rbi double by Ken Boyer. The game was looking like it might be all Cardinals early on. Boyer knocked in a run in the first to give the Birds the lead right out the gate. Bob Skinner and Bill White extended the Cardinals lead to 3-0 with an rbi apiece in the third, then Lou Brock got in on the action by knocking a run in with a single in the fourth. Brock's single ended the day for Reds pitcher Joey Jay who left the game with his team trailing 4-0. In the bottom of the fourth the Reds would begin to mount a comeback. Gordy Coleman and Johnny Edwards cut the lead in half with a pair of rbi's that let the Birds know they would have to battle to win that day at Crosley Field. Bill White responded with a two out rbi single in the fifth that brought Boyer into score. Cincy answered right back with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning as Frank Robinson got in on the rbi festival with a two out single that brought Tommy Harper trotting in to make the score 5-3 Cards. After a scoreless sixth and seventh the reds struck again with a pair of ribbies by Coleman and Robinson to knot things up at 5 all. As the game became a true battle of the bullpens both pens showed they were up to the task until that fourteenth and final inning of the contest. Bill McCool, who had been toeing the rubber for the Reds since the twelfth inning got a quick out before issuing back-to-back walks to Lou Brock and Curt Flood, McCool then set Mike Shannon down on strikes before Boyer came to the dish. All McCool needed was one more out to erase the threat but that out would have to wait. Boyer got ahold of one that shot into center and brought Brock flying in while Boyer came sliding into second. The Birds were flying high with the 6-5 lead and they were just three out away from ending a game that lasted more than 5 hours. In the bottom of the fourteenth, Hal Woodeshick got two quick outs, then gave up a single to Leo Cardenas that put the tying run on first and the winning run at the plate. Red Schoendienst wasn't taking any chances, the Cardinals skipper brought the ace of the staff Bob Gibson into get the last out and Gibson didn't disappoint. He induced Art Shamsky into popup that was caught in foul territory to give Gibby his only save of that '65 season.

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN196508270.shtml

August 26, 1981: Templeton Flies The Bird

On August 26, 1981, Garry Templeton was fined $5,000 and suspended indefinitely by Cardinals skipper Whitey Herzog for making obscene gestures towards the fans at Busch. The trouble for Templeton started before the game against San Fran even started. He had told Whitey Herzog that he was too tired to play but the skipper put him in the lineup against his wishes. Templeton responded with a halfhearted effort that not only angered the fans but got under the manager's skin as well.  The real trouble began in the bottom of the first, Templeton struck out but the ball got past Giants catcher Milt May and he jogged down the baseline staring toward the Cardinal dugout rather than try and reach base. As he jogged the boos rang out and then Templeton to give the crowd an ole one finger salute. Umpire Bruce Froemming warned the shortstop after the incident which did not stop him from doing it again.  Before the fourth inning started Froemming tossed the embattled Templeton from the game. As Templeton jogged toward the dugout he made more obscene gestures toward the crowds and Herzog blew a friggin gasket. The skipper yanked him into the dugout and tossed him against the wall while telling him to get the hell out of there. Players and coaches had to break up the melee while Herzog screamed "I don't want you on the road trip. I don't want you around my players. I don't want to see you. You make $690,000 and you make an ass out of yourself. I don;t need that, and my players don't need that." The big story of the game should have been an 8 run outburst in the fifth inning that led to a  9-4 Cardinals victory, instead all the focus went toward one disgruntled player who failed to control his emotions. A day after the incident Templeton agreed to seek psychiatric help and was diagnosed and treated for depression. He returned to the Cardinals lineup in mid September, but his absence had hurt the club and they failed to make the playoffs. It was an unfortunate incident that Templeton has carried with him throughout his life, it is something he does not liked to be remembered for but unfortunately it is a moment in time he can't take back. Templeton wore the Birds on the Bat for a total of six years, in those six years he was selected to two All Star games, hit .305 and was one of the better hitting shortstops in the game which also led to a Silver Slugger Award in 1980. After the incident that led him to being traded to San Diego he went onto have a solid career with the Padres which included a second Silver Slugger Award and another All Star selection. After his playing career ended he managed a variety of minor league clubs and is currently the manager of the Newark Bears on the independent Can-Am league. In my eyes time heals all wounds and I have no disdain for Garry Templeton, while I think it's unfortunate for him to be remembered in such a way it was his own doing that made that memory. In the end it worked out quite well for the Cardinals, it makes me wonder if Ozzie would have found his way to St. Louis if Templeton wouldn't have reacted so poorly on that late August day in 1981. All I know is I'm glad it worked out the way it did, Ozzie became a legend while Templeton became another name from the past.

Wish I had the video, check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN198108260.shtml

August 25, 1946: The Cardinals Battle The Dodgers as The Pennant Race Heats Up

On August 25, 1946, St. Louis was buzzing as the Brooklyn Dodgers came to town to take on the Cardinals with first place on the line. The two teams were set to play a doubleheader and it was sure to be a battle that had Sportsman's Park packed with Cardinals fans to cheer the team onto victory. The Dodgers had held a seven and a half game lead but couldn't hold off the surging Redbirds. In the first game, the Dodgers struck first, they plated a run in the fourth when Augie Galan knocked Carl Furillo in from second base with a single. The Birds evened things up in the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot by Stan Musial. Harry Walker put the Cards up 2-1 with an rbi single in the fifth, then Furillo knotted things back up at 2 with an rbi double that brought Pee Wee Reese into score. The score stayed tied until Cookie Lavagetto came up with a ninth inning single to give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead that they would not let go of. While the Cardinals fans were bummed about getting beat by dem bums from Brooklyn in the first game, the disappointment wouldn't last long. In the second game, Musial led an offensive onslaught with a 4 for 5 performance that included a double, three ribbies, and two runs scored as the Cardinals beat the Dodgers in a 14-8 rout that was called after 8 innings due to darkness. The Birds looked to have that game easily won as they scored 10 runs in the first six, then they had to survive back-to-back four run innings in the seventh and eighth before the sun tucked out of the sky. The ballpark did have lights installed in 1940, but the rules at the time would not allow a day game to be assisted by lighting. The split ended the day with a dead heat between the Birds and the Bums, it was a dead heat that ended with the first ever tiebreaker that led to a World Series Title for St. Louis. The '46 race was such a great race with two great teams. Everytime I watch the Cardinals play the Dodgers I think of that great race. Throughout the years the rivalry between the Dodgers and the Cardinals was a hot one, we might just see that rivalry heat up again this postseason.

The photo was snapped that day as Musial crossed the plate after hitting the home run in the first game.

Check out the box scores:
First game: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN194608251.shtml
Second game:http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN194608252.shtml

August 24, 1973: Jose Cruz Leads The Birds To Victory In Cincy

On August 24, 1973, at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Jose Cruz parked one over the wall in the eleventh to propel the Cardinals to a 5-4 win over the Reds. The game was a battle from beginning to end. The Cardinals struck first with a run in the first inning only to have Pete Rose tie it right back up with a homer in the bottom half of the frame. It didn't take long for the Cards to regain the lead. Ted Sizemore knocked a run in with a single in the second, then with the score sat at 2-1 Cardinals until Ted Simmons belted a two run shot in the fifth. With the the score 4-1 in the sixth the Reds struck for two and they were within one run of tying it up. They got that run in the bottom of the ninth when Andy Kosco took the Cardinals starter Alan Foster deep to leadoff the inning. Foster got out of the inning without allowing any more damage which sent the game to extras. Kenny Reitz reached base for the Birds in the tenth but the team failed to bring him into score. Diego Segui took over pitching duties for Foster in the bottom of the tenth and he made things interesting to say the least. Segui walked Dan Driessen to leadoff the inning, Driessen stole second, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. With the winning run just 90 feet away, Segui issued a pair of intentional walks to Tony Perez and Johnny Bench to load the bases with no outs. The strategy worked, Segui struck out Larry Stahl and Andy Kosco, then got Daryl Chaney to flyout to end the threat. In the top of the eleventh, Reds hurler Clay Carroll grabbed two quick outs before Cruz stepped to the plate and went yard to give the Birds the 5-4 advantage. Segui had a much easier time in the bottom of the eleventh as he retired the side in order to secure the win. The Cardinals were making a serious charge toward the pennant as they headed down the stretch in '73 and Cruz was a big part of that charge. He slumped late in the season, and the Cardinals fell just short of winning the N.L. East. Despite that fact the young center fielder led the team with game winning hits that season as he was just beginning to live up to his potential. Cruz did not reach his true potential in the Gateway City. In 1974, the Cardinals sent him to the Houston Astros for cash. They had another up and coming outfielder by the name of Bake McBride who took over in center. Cruz spent the next 13 years in Houston. He went onto bat over .300 five times and collected more than 2,000 hits before his career came to an end after a cup of coffee with the Yankees in 1988.

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN197308240.shtml

August 23, 1943: The Cardinals Pound The Braves In Boston

On August 23, 1943, the Cardinals picked up nineteen hits in a 14-5 win over the Braves in Boston. It was an offensive assault from the beginning . The Braves starter Manny Salvo lasted just three innings, giving up seven hits while six runs crossed the plate. Ben Cardoni took over on the bump for Salvo in the fourth and he got to feel the wrath of the Cardinals bats as well. Cardoni gave up twelve hits and eight runs as he went the rest of the way for the Braves. Stan Musial got things going for the Birds in the first with an rbi triple. In the third inning Johnny Hopp helped Salvo's day come to an early end with a two run blast that had the Cardinals rolling. At the end of the day, every batter in the Cardinals lineup had picked up a hit. Third baseman Deb Garms led the team with four hits and shortstop Marty Marion knocked in four runs despite being limited to just two hits in five at bats. While it looks like it was an easy win for the Redbirds, it took everything Max Lanier had to keep the Braves from doing more damage than they did. Lanier gave up fourteen hits as he went the distance to pick up his 10th win of the season. The Cardinals absolutely owned the Braves in '43, after that game they had beaten them 14 out of 16 times, by season's end they had beaten them 19 times while losing just 3.

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BSN/BSN194308230.shtml

August 22, 1982: BRUMMER STEALS HOME!!!

On August 22, 1982, 46,827 fans witnessed a battle between the Giants and the Cardinals at Busch, and it was a game they would never forget. It was a seesaw battle, the Cardinals scored first with an rbi double by Gene Tenace in the second. Then Willie McGee added to the Birds run total with a two run shot to put them up 3-0 after four. The Giants came storming back in the sixth and took a 4-3 lead, the score stayed the same until Ken Oberkfell knocked in the game tying run with an rbi double in the bottom of the ninth which sent the game into extras. Both teams put men on the tenth and eleventh but failed to score. In the twelfth, Jeff Lahti retired the Giants in order before the Cardinals came to bat. The Giants hurler, Gary Lavelle got a quick out to start the bottom of the twelfth, then gave up back to back singles to backup catcher Glenn Brummer and Willie McGee. After a popout by Julio Gonzalez, Ozzie Smith singled to load the bases, what happened next was simply epic. With Brummer standing at third and David Green at the dish trying to bring him home, the Cardinals batter quickly fell behind in the count 1-2. That's when it happened, BRUMMER STOLE HOME!!! BRUMMER STOLE HOME!!! It was unfugginbelievable and nobody in the world would have seen it coming.  Whitey Herzog didn't even know it was going to happen, the Cardinals skipper called Brummer the captain of the shock troops after the daring play. When Brummer was interviewed after the game he said "After a couple of pitches I saw he (the pitcher Gary Lavelle) wasn't paying any attention to me. I was thinking about it all the time but didn't want to tip it off." Since Lavelle was a lefty he had his back to Brummer and this opened up the opportunity for the Cardinals third string catcher. Brummer said "I took my normal lead for three pitches, and he still hadn't looked at me. He's got a high leg kick and was taking some time getting rid of the ball. On the next pitch I started edging off and he wasn't looking. When he started his windup, I took off." As Brummer came flying in, Green stepped away from the plate and Brummer slipped under Milt May's tag to win it. It might have just been the most epic regular season finish to a ballgame in the history of the old stadium. The Cardinals backup catcher was only in the game after a ninth inning double switch, most the time he was out in the bullpen helping relievers warm up. He hadn't picked up a hit since mid July and he had never stole home at any level. It was just the second stolen base of that season and his career. It was a stolen base that will live forever in the history of the St. Louis Cardinals, many consider it a catalyst in the Cardinals drive to the pennant. Brummer stole just four bases in 178 games in the big leagues, after the historic swipe in '82 his teammates autographed home plate and gave it to the backup catcher that will never be forgotten.

Watch Brummer steal home with the Moonman Mike Shannon making the call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8NNLXr_ugo

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN198208220.shtml

August 21, 1947: Stan Goes Yard Twice In Philly

On August 21, 1947, the Cardinals pounded the Phillies 13-3 behind a two home run performance by Stan The Man Musial in the second game of a doubleheader at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The Birds were looking to bounce back after dropping the first game 9-3 and it looked like the Phillies might just have their number as they plated three runs in the first two innings which led to an early hook for Cardinals starter Jim Hearn. With two outs in the second Al Brazle took over pitching duties for the Birds and he got the job done. Brazle allowed just 5 hits and went the rest of the way for the Cards. The Man's first blast was a third inning solo shot that put the Cardinals on the board. In the fourth, Ron Northey put the Birds in front with a three run bomb. When Musial came to the plate in the sixth the sacks were jammed and with one swing of the bat Musial cleared the basepaths with a grand slam. The Cards tacked on 4 more in the seventh as they sailed to the 13-3 victory. Musial hit 19 of his 475 home runs at Shibe Park.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI194708212.shtml

August 20, 1932: Tex Carleton Gets The Job Done In St. Louis

On August 20, 1932, Tex Carleton went the distance for the Birds in a 8-7 ten inning win over the Boston Braves at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The Braves starter Hub Pruett got roughed up early, he gave up six runs in the second before his day came to an end with just an inning and a third under his belt. By the end of the third the score was 7-3 and it was looking like it was gonna be all Cardinals in this one before the Braves came back with a run in the fifth another in the sixth, then tied it at 7 all, with two runs in the ninth. Both teams had 12 hits apiece before Carleton picked up the hit that mattered most with his tenth inning single in the bottom of the tenth to win it. Pretty crazy day for the Cardinals hurler.

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN193208200.shtml

August 19, 2003: The Cards Score 10 In The 8th To Push Them Past The Pirates at Busch

On August 19, 2003, the Cardinals found themselves trailing the Pirates 5-3 as they were headed into bottom of the eighth at Busch before exploding for 10 runs to take a 13-5 lead, which would prove to be the final sore. Lloyd McClendon called on reliever Jason Beimel to take care of business in the eighth which proved to be the beginning of the end for the Pirates. Beimel's day started off with a pair of singles by Orlando Palmeiro and Edgar Renteria , then he walked the bases full as he gave ole Jimmy Ballgame a free pass. Beimel was out of the contest before he even picked up an out, then Julian Tavarez heard the phone ring in the Pirates pen as Scott Rolen was taking his practice swings getting ready to face the reliever. Rolen jumped on the second pitch and lined it into left center for a bases clearing double to give the Birds the lead. With the score 6-5, Tavarez walked the bases full before recording the first out of the inning. So Taguchi came into bat for the winning pitcher Cal Eldred and shot a ball up the middle that tacked two more runs on the board. The ninth batter of the inning, Bo Hart followed Taguchi up with an RBI double. Tavarez put Palmeiro on with a free pass in hopes of a double play but it backfired quickly when Edgar Renteria doubled into left scoring Taguchi and Hart. The shellshocked Pirates pulled the plug on Tavarez with the score 11-5 and sent for Mahomes just hoping that someone in their pen could stop the hemorrhaging, Mahomes struck out Jim Edmonds then Rolen came to bat for the second time in the inning and delivered once again with the two run single that put the Birds on top 13-5. Mahomes got Tino Martinez to flyout to end the ten run frame that had the fans at Busch looking at the person next to them and asking them "What the hell just happened?" I'll tell you what happened, St. Louis Cardinals baseball happened. POW!!! That's one helluva an inning. Steve Kline finished the Pirates off with a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth and there were nothing but smiles downtown after that one.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN200308190.shtml

August 18, 1957: The Cardinals Win Both Ends Of A Doubleheader In Milwaukee

On August 18, 1957, in the first game of a doubleheader in Milwaukee, the Cardinals found themselves down 6-1 after 6 innings before they came storming back. The team scored one run in the seventh, two in the eighth, then two more to tie it up in the ninth. Stan Musial hit a two run home run in the tenth to complete the Redbird rally as they held off the Braves to win 8-6. The Cardinals starter Herm Wehmeier got roughed up early and often before being yanked in the sixth. The bullpen took over and turned in a stellar performance that led to the first win of Billy Muffet's big league career. The second game was all Cardinals, Vinegar Bend Mizell turned in a four-hit complete game shutout while the offense rocked and rolled to the tune of 12 hits as they cruised to a 6-0 victory. Wally Moon led the Cardinals offensive attack in that game, he went 3 for 4 with a big blast in the sixth inning, while the hero of the first game Stan Musial went 2 for 5 with an rbi. Musial's home run in the first game was hit #2,931, it put him at eleventh on the all time list, it gave him one more hit than both Jake Beckley and Rogers Hornsby.

Check Out The Box Scores
Game 1: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MLN/MLN195708181.shtml
Game 2: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MLN/MLN195708182.shtml

August 17, 1977: Bob Forsch Two Hits The Mets at Busch

On August 17, 1977, Bob Forsch fired a two-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Mets at Busch. The only hits the Mets could scratch out were a couple of singles, after Bruce Boisclair singled into left in the first inning Forsch set down 15 in a row before Lenny Randle singled in the sixth. The Redbird runs came in the bottom of the sixth, both Hector Cruz and Mike Tyson picked up an rbi apiece to give the team the 2-0 lead. Forsch was in cruise control mode, his breaking ball was devastating and his fastball was on fire. By the end of the day Forsch faced just 30 batters, he gave up a walk in the first and another in the seventh while striking out five men in the gem that put the Redbirds in the win column.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN197708170.shtml

August 16, 1963: Boyer Leads An 18 Hit Attack On The Giants

On August 16, 1963, the Cardinals exploded for 18 hits in a 13-0 rout of the San Francisco Giants in St. Louis. The offensive outburst was led by the Cardinals Captain Ken Boyer who picked up 4 hits in 6 at bats which included 2 doubles, 2 ribbies, and 4 runs scored. The only player in the starting lineup that didn't get a hit that day was Stan Musial, Musial left the game in the sixth after going 0 for 4. Stan didn't have to worry about being on the hook since the rest of the Cardinals lineup was knocking the ball around at ease. Both George Altman and Bill White drove in three runs, while Boyer was joined by Tim McCarver and the Cardinals pitcher Curt Simmons with two rbi's apiece. Simmons also went the distance for the Birds.

Here's the Box Score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196308160.shtml

With Ken Boyer being a key part of today's fact I thought I would pass a friend of mines page along https://www.facebook.com/kenboyer14 please check it out. His name is Kevin McCann and he is trying to write a book about the life of Ken Boyer. Right now Kevin is in the middle of a kickstarter campaign to help fund the different expenses that it will take to complete this project. He is approaching the goal with just a few days left, but he still needs help. If you go to this website http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kevindmccann/ken-boyer-a-baseball-biography?ref=home_location you can read a detailed description of what he is trying to do and what a donation will get you. There are several incentives for donating.  I promise all the followers of this page that I will not try to sell things here, I just believe in this project and I hope to see it come to fruition.

August 15, 1992: Galarraga's Slam Leads The Birds Passed The Expos

On August 15, 1992, Andres Galarraga drove in five runs, which included an eighth inning grand slam in a 6-4 win over the Expos in Montreal. Galarraga spent his first seven seasons in Montreal and this series was the first time he came back to the city in which it all started. The game started off a bit rough for Expos starter Mark Gardner, while he only gave up one hit, he also hit three batters with two of those three coming with the bases loaded to put the Cards up 2-0. Gardner put the rough inning behind him and didn't allow another hit before he was pulled in the eighth after giving up a pair of walks. Gardner left the contest with his team up 4-2 and he handed the ball over to John Wetteland in hopes that he could clean up the mess he left on the bases. Wetteland came into the game with a man on first and second and needed two outs to get out of the mess. Things started off well for the Expos closer, he struck out Ray Lankford before giving up a single to Felix Jose to load the bases. Galarraga worked the count full before Wetteland served up the grand salami that put the Birds on top. Todd Worrell held the Expos at bay before Lee Smith picked up his 29th save of the season. The save was also Smith's 341st career save which tied him with Rollie Fingers on the all time list. When asked about the grand slam after the game Galarraga said "I was excited when I hit it. It was a great moment for me, not because of the Expos but because I was booed a lot during the game. Maybe they'll boo me even more tomorrow." The 6-4 win put an end to a 6 game winning streak for the Expos and I'm sure the fans booed Galarraga and the Cardinals quite a bit the next day since the Cardinals took that game by the score of 5-2, Galarraga scored a run in that contest as well.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MON/MON199208160.shtml

August 14, 1971: Gibby Tosses a No No In Pittsburgh

On August 14, 1971, at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Bob Gibson became the sixth pitcher in franchise history to throw a no-hitter. Gibby's no no was assisted by a 16 hit attack that led to an 11-0 win for the Cardinals. His backstop Ted Simmons not only caught the no no, he picked up four hits, knocked in a run, and scored three times. Joe Torre also delivered a 4 hit performance while Joe Hague set the tone early with a three run home run in the first. Gibson also contributed to the offense with a sac fly that scored a run and a two rbi single in the eighth. The Cardinals hurler scattered 3 walks, while striking out 10 as he added the no-hitter to his already impressive resume. Future Hall of Famer Willie Stargell struck out three times in the game, which included the final out of the contest. When asked about it the next morning Gibson said "It was simply that everything went just right." he went onto say "For the most part I was throwing good pitches, my fastball was alive and the slider was hitting the corners. When I did miss with a pitch, I didn't get hurt." He also said he talked about the fact he had a no hitter going in the dugout while it was in progress, Gibson didn't believe in any kind of jinx, he thought the only thing he had to worry about was the Pirates batters. The win was #201 for Gibby and the first no hitter thrown in the Steel City since 1907.  It was the only no-hitter of Gibson's career, at that point he was a 35 year old veteran that had dismissed the notion of achieving the feat, then it happened. Gibson won 251 games in his career, 56 of those games were shutouts. Despite that fact, he had relatively few low hit games in his career, he pitched only one one-hitter and seven two-hitters.

You can listen to Pirates announcer Bob Prince make the call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igUJqxKcCMM

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT197108140.shtml

August 13, 1958: Lou Brock Reaches 3,000

On August 13, 1979, with a fourth inning single off of Cubs starter Dennis Lamp, Lou Brock became just the 14th player in the history of Major League Baseball to record 3,000 hits in his career. Coincidentally the Cardinals were playing the team who traded Brock to St. Louis in 1964. Lou started the day sitting at 2,998 hits and more than 40,000 souls packed the stands at Busch in anticipation of the history making moment. It had been 21 years since the fans in St. Louis seen Stan Musial reach the 3,000 plateau and electricity was in the air. After getting out of a bases loaded jam in the first, the Cardinals led of their half of the inning with a single off the bat of Garry Templeton. The 40 year old Brock came to the dish and fouled the first pitch he saw down the first base line, after watching a pitch sail outside for a ball, he pounced on the third pitch and lined it into center for hit #2,999. Keith Hernandez grounded into a twin killing that scored Templeton but eliminated himself and Brock. The first ended with the Cardinal leading the Baby Bears 1-0 and with Brock one hit away from joining an exclusive club. The score was the same when Brock came to the plate to lead off the fourth, he quickly found himself in an 0 and 2 hole before taking a ball wide. Lamp evened the count with a ball that nearly took Brock's head off, the fans in the stands let the Cubs pitcher know that they were not pleased as the boos and jeers rang out. Brock responded with a shot up the middle that went off the pitchers hand and shot toward the third base line. The third baseman Steve Ontiveros had no chance to make a play and Lou Brock had just become the newest member of the 3,000 hit club. By the time the inning came to an end the Cardinals held a 2-0 lead. The Cubs tied it up with two runs in the seventh, then Garry Templeton hit a game winning sac fly in the bottom of the ninth to give the Redbirds a 3-2 victory on the day that a true St. Louis legend reached a historic milestone.

You can watch the hit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsOBrkf9TBQ

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN197908130.shtml

August 12, 1927: Bottomley Goes Boom In The 11th

On August 12, 1927, Jim Bottomley ended a pitching duel with one swing of the bat as he took Pirates hurler Carmen Hill deep in the bottom of the 11th at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The big blast gave the Birds a 2-1 win over the visiting Pirates. The Cardinals had Jesse Haines on the bump and he was dealing. Haines allowed just four hits, while his counterpart Hill allowed just six hits. It was that sixth hit Hill gave up that counted the most as it put the Redbirds in the win column. Bottomley was a force in the Redbirds lineup, in '27 he led the club with 19 homers, 124 rbi's, 15 triples, and he was tied Frankie Frisch in the doubles department with 31.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN192708120.shtml

August 11, 1946: Stan The Man Goes On a Tear

On August 11, 1946, Stan The Man Musial picked up 8 hits in 10 at bats as the Cardinals took both games of a doubleheader against the Reds in Cincinnati. Stan along with his pal Enos Slaughter killed it in the first game, Stan went 4 for 5 with a triple and three runs scored and a ribbie, while Slaughter went  5 for 6 with 7 ribbies and a run scored in the 15-4 beatdown. In the second game Stan went 4 for 5 again which included a double and a homer in the 7-3 victory that completed a sweep of the Reds. The next day the team was in Chicago to take on the Cubs and Musial's hot bat didn't cool off, the Cardinals slugger went 4 for 4 with a double and two ribbies in the 5-0 win over the baby bears. Musial wasn't the only star of that game, Al Brazle went the distance for the Birds allowing just three hits in the complete game shutout. It capped off two pretty good days for The Man, he picked up a total of 12 hits in 14 at bats, he was headed toward a World Series Title as well as his second National League MVP award.

You can find this awesome art at: http://www.rareink.com/mlb/cardinals/stan-musial-original-art-1.html

Today I'll give you links to all three box scores
Game 1 of the 8/11/46 doubleheader: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN194608111.shtml
Game 2 of the 8/11/46 doubleheader : http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN194608112.shtml
8/12/46: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN194608120.shtml

August 10, 1985: Willie McGee Has A Big Day In Philly

On August 10, 1985, Willie McGee picked up 7 hits in 10 at bats in a doubleheader sweep of the Phillies at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The Cardinals won the first contest 5-4, McGee went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and a ribbie in the contest and he was just getting started. In the second tilt, McGee went 4 for 5, he knocked a 3 run shot out of the yard in the second inning and finished the game with 4 rbi's. McGee was the hottest hitter in the National League up to that point, he was hitting .351 at the end of that day and he didn't cool off as he was on the way to winning the National League's MVP award. He finished the season leading the league with 216 hits, 18 triples, and a .353 average that gave him the first batting title of his career.

Here are the box scores for both games
Game 1: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198508101.shtml
Game 2: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198508102.shtml

August 9, 1958: Flood's Big Blast Wins It For The Cards In 10th

On August 9, 1958, Curt Flood's tenth inning solo shot led the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago. It was the eighth home run of the year for the 20 year old Cardinals rookie and his second game winning home run of the season. Flood finished his rookie campaign with 10 bombs along with a .261 average. While he was best known for his defensive abilities, Flood parked 85 balls over the wall in his career. His first homer came with the Reds in 1957, his next 84 came with the Birds on the Bat across his chest, 7 of those 84 came at Wrigley Field.

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN195808090.shtml

August 8, 1998: Lankford's Bad Day Turns Around In Extra Innings

On August 8, 1998, Ray Lanford struck out in his first five plate appearances before launching a two run home run to tie the game in the bottom of the eleventh at Busch. Lankford came up big again in the thirteenth with an rbi single that beat the Cubs 9-8. Lankford's 5 K's set a franchise record for strikeouts in one game but that wouldn't be how it was remembered, as he became the player of the game with his extra inning heroics. Lankford's performance overshadowed Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa who both hit home runs, Big Mac hit his 46th of the year with a solo shot in the fourth and Sosa knocked his 44th of the year as he crushed a Rich Croushore pitch to tie it up at 5 in the ninth inning. The Cubs took a 7-5 lead in the top of the eleventh on a pinch hit two run home run by Tyler Houston, then Lankford got off the hook in a big way with his big blast that tied the ballgame in the bottom of the inning. Chicago jumped back on top with an rbi single by Sosa in the top of the twelfth to give them a one run lead, then Eli Marrero got that run right back in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot that kept the seesaw battle alive. The Cubs skipper Jim Riggleman sent Dave Stevens to pitch the bottom of the thirteenth and Stevens walked second baseman Pat Kelly to lead off the inning, Kelly stole second then moved over to third after Brian Jordan singled. Stevens then walked Big Mac to get to Lankford who made him pay with a single up the middle to win it. It had to be one helluva of a rollercoaster ride for Lankford and everyone involved. Both managers expressed exasperation after the game. The Cards skipper Tony LaRussa said "I've never seen anything like it.",while Jim Rigglemen would say "It's one of the greatest games I've ever been associated with, they thought they had it and we came back. We thought we had it and they came back."

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN199808080.shtml

August 7, 1971: The Cards Win A Thriller In The 10th

On August 7, 1971, 36,633 fans packed Busch Stadium to watch the Cards take on the visiting Dodgers in what would be a battle to the end. The Dodgers drew first blood with two runs in the sixth before the Cardinals came back with two of their own in the bottom of the seventh. With the game tied at two after 9 innings each and every fan in the stadium was hoping to see a walkoff hero, they got their wish but it was an interesting walkoff hero to say the least. With one out in the bottom of the tenth Matty Alou hustled his way aboard with a bunt. After Alou reached, Dodgers hurler Pete Mikkelsen and his second baseman Jim Lefebvre met at the mound to discuss how they were gonna work around Alou. They had one little problem, they had forgot to call time and an alert Alou took off for second. Realizing that the Cardinals outfielder was on the move Mikkelsen tried to throw the ball to Lefebvre who was attempting to get back to the bag, the ball went sailing over Lefebvre's head and Alou headed for third then turned the corner and headed for home. Lefebvre got to the ball and threw a wild pitch to the plate as Alou scored the game winning run. It was a thrilling finish for the Birds and everyone who witnessed it. I can just picture the scene as Alou crossed the plate, while he was being mobbed by his teammates, there were people in the stands giving each other high fives and maybe even hugging a total stranger after witnessing the epic finish.

Here's The Box Score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN197108070.shtml

August 6, 1950: The Cards Take Two In Philly

On August 6, 1950, in the first game of a doubleheader at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Red Schoendienst went 5 for 5 with a double and two runs scored in a 7-1 victory over the Phillies. In addition to Shoendienst's 5 for 5 performance, Enos Slaughter picked up 3 hits, and Stan Musial got a hold of his 15th homer of the season. The offense wasn't the only thing working for the boys, Cloyd Boyer pitched a complete game for the Birds, striking out 9 while allowing just 4 hits. The second game didn't have the offensive explosion that the first game had but that wouldn't stop the Cards from picking up their second win of the day. Max Lanier pitched a 6 hit complete game shutout and third baseman Eddie Kazak came up big when he knocked in Musial and Shoendienst with a fourth inning single. Kazak's ribbies proved to be all the scoring the team needed as they rolled to a 2-0 victory behind another great pitching performance.

Here Are The Box Scores
Game 1: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI195008061.shtml
Game 2: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI195008062.shtml

August 5, 1912: Ed Konetchy Hits Two Inside The Parkers in an 8-4 Win in Brooklyn

On August 5, 1912, Cardinals first baseman Ed Konetchy hit two inside the park home runs in an 8-4 win over the Dodgers in Brooklyn. The first inside the park round tripper for Big Ed came with two men on in the second to give the Cards a 3-0 lead over the hometown Dodgers. His second of the day came with a man on in the fifth, a couple batters later Rebel Oakes parked one over the wall to cap off a 5 run inning for the Cardinals. It would be all the scoring the team needed, the Dodgers tacked on 3 in the bottom of the fifth and another in the ninth but they couldn't get passed the Redbirds and Konetchy. Konetchy finished the day 3 for 5 with 5 ribbies. Big Ed hit 74 home runs over 15 years in the big leagues, 28 of those home runs were inside the parkers. Konetchy is currently tied for thirteenth on the all time list for most inside the park home runs.

Baseball reference didn't have the box score, but I did find it in an old newspaper archive. You can check it out here: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i9VbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nFINAAAAIBAJ&pg=6058%2C313673 I find the ad next to the Cardinals story exceptionally odd. Sign of the times I guess.

August 4, 1982: The Stan The Man Statue Is Erected in St. Louis

On August 4, 1968, the Stan The Man Musial statue was erected outside of Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The tribute to The Man was sculpted by Carl Christian Mose, it is 10 feet, 5 inches high, and sits on an 8 1/2 foot high marble pedestal. The statue sat in front of the stadium on the northeast side and had Musial in the stance that he made famous. The words "Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight." were inscribed on the statue. Those were words the commissioner of baseball Ford C. Frick had said when Musial retired on September 29, 1963. Among the attendees were 19 men from the '41 club which was Musial's rookie year. They had seen him go from being just a kid trying to make a big league roster, to The Man that had a statue being erected in front of the stadium that the Cardinals called home. While Stan didn't care for the design of the statue, but he took great pride in the honor that was bestowed upon him. Stan preferred a different design that had him with the bat resting on his hip while he was giving an autograph to a young boy, that design didn't happen in large part because of the cost. When the team moved to the new Busch in '06 the statue was moved to the West side of the stadium where many of us meet our family and friends today. It truly is an iconic statue dedicated to the biggest icon the organization has ever seen.

August 3, 1963: Broglio Shuts Down The Phillies On A Hot Day in The Lou

On August 3, 1963, with the temperature in St. Louis topping 100 degrees, Ernie Broglio shut down the Phillies lineup by allowing just two hits in a 7-0 Redbird win at Sportsman's Park. It was the fourth two-hitter of the '63 campaign for Broglio who picked up his twelfth win of the season. The only hits off the Cardinals righthander came when Ruben Amaro picked up a single in the third, then Clay Dalrymple picked up another single in the ninth. The Cardinals offensive attack was led by catcher Carl Sawatski who went 2 for 4 with a home run and three ribbies on the day. While Broglio will always be remembered for being the guy that brought Lou Brock to the Cardinals, he was a solid pitcher that had won 21 games in 1960, then finished that '63 season with 18 wins. When he was first traded to Chicago most thought that the Cubbies got the better end of the deal since Broglio had established himself as a legitimate big leaguer, while Brock had not lived up to expectations in the Windy City. Of course we all know how that story ended.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196308030.shtml

August 2, 2003: Bo Hart Has A Grand Slamwich at Shea Stadium

On August 2, 2003, Bo Hart's fourth inning grand slam highlighted a 10-9 Cardinals win over the Mets at Shea Stadium in New York. Hart's grand salami was followed up by a solo shot by J.D. Drew that put the Cards up 7-1. The Mets didn't go away quietly, they plated two runs in the sixth before the Cards came back with three more in the seventh. After picking up another run in the eighth, the Mets had their rally caps on in the ninth but the Cardinals withstood the 5 run inning to pick up the win. The grand slam by Hart was just the second long ball of his career, he hit four total. Hart played in 77 games for the Birds in '03, he was a instant hit with the fans as he came storming onto the scene. The scrappy second baseman broke a 102 year old record with 28 hits his first 15 games in the big leagues, Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig just made a run at the record but fell one hit short of equaling Hart's 2003 performance. While his rookie year was a solid one that most Cardinals fans will always remember, the Bo Hart era would come to an end, after one month with the team in '04, he was sent back to the minors. He never did make it back to the big leagues but he did find his way into the rich history of the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

Here's the box score from Hart's Grand Salami Day in New York:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN200308020.shtml

This is a full written account of the game: http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=newsobserver&page=mlb/scores/final/recap.aspx?id=6982

August 1, 1957: Stan The Man's 2 Bombs Leads The Cards Passed The Giants

On August 1, 1957, Stan The Man led the Redbirds charge in an 8-0 win over the New York Giants at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Musial went 4 for 4 with 2 home runs and 4 ribbies in the contest. Sam Jones went the distance for the Birds scattering 6 hits throughout. The biggest threat of the day came in the ninth when Willie Mays and Ray Jablonski led the inning off with a single, three batters later the Cardinals were in the win column. Musial finished the '57 season with 29 bombs and his .351 average led the National League. Stan once said Jones had the best curveball he ever saw, I'm sure it was workin that night in St. Louie.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN195708010.shtml