October 7, 1982: Bob Forsch and Company Take game One of The NLCS

On October 7, 1982, the Cardinals won the first game of the NLCS by the score of 7-0 over the Braves at Busch. Bob Forsch started and finished the game for the Birds.He didn't allow a walk, and the Braves were able to scratch out only 3 hits against the Cardinals hurler. The Braves sent Pascual Perez to the mound and their starter gave up 7 of the 13 hits the Cardinals picked up on the day. The Birds scored their first run in the third. Willie McGee led the inning off with a scorcher down the first base line that the speedy McGee turned into a triple. One newspaper described it like this; It was an ordinary double for ordinary mortals, a triple for the supersonic McGee. But then the baseball hit the fence in foul territory and rebounded smartly past the startled rightfielder Claudell Washington. The outfielder gave chase, but the ball rolled almost to dead right center. McGee might have been able to score an inside-the-park home run if he realized what was going on with the fielder behind him. The Cardinals third base coach, Chuck Hiller was waving his arms frantically and tried screaming over the 53,008 fans in an effort to let McGee know he could turn the corner and head home. It would have been an uncontested inside-the-parker. While McGee missed out on his chance to score with the inside-the-park blast, he came into scored one batter later when Ozzie Smith sacrificed him in with a flyball to center. The score was 1-0 after one inning, it would stay the same until a Cardinal singles parade in the sixth. Lonnie Smith began the inning with a check swing single, the Braves first baseman had to come off the bag to retrieve the ball, then Perez had to run to the bag to get the force. In his haste, Perez dropped the ball, it was a gift single for Smith. Keith Hernandez and George Hendrick followed Smith with back-to-back singles that brought Smith into score. Hendrick was the last batter that Perez would face, the Braves manager Joe Torre called on Steve Bedrosian to take over on the hill and the Cardinals bats were ready and waiting. Bedrosian walked the bases full with a  free pass to Darrell Porter, then McGee drove in Hernandez with a broken bat flare to center. Ozzie Smith kept the line moving with a single that brought Hendrick into score. Then Forsch added another run to the total with a sacrifice that scored Porter. The Cardinals capped off the 5 run frame with what should have been an easy out of Ken Obkerfell at first, Bedrosian was slow to react to what was a routine grounder to the Braves first baseman, so Chambliss had to try and get the out himself at the bag, he slipped and fell and Obkerfell made it to the bag safely while McGee came across the dish. Bedrosian was replaced by Donnie Miller following the debacle at first, he was the third Braves pitcher in the inning. Miller was able to put the fire out but the Birds had a decisive 6-0 lead after the blowup inning. They added their seventh run of the ballgame in the eighth on a sac fly by Lonnie Smith that scored Forsch. The Cardinals starter absolutely dominated the game, while the offense came up big all he needed was that first inning run. Forsch struck out 6, he never found himself in a jam, his three hits, all singles, came in the third, fifth, and sixth innings. When asked about Forsch after the game Joe Torre said "He's a gutty pitcher. He doesn't have the fastball he once had but he moves the ball around real well and keeps hitters off balance." It's safe to say those Braves batters were off balance on that day in '82.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN198210070.shtml

Sidenote: Just one day earlier the game was postponed after 4 1/2 innings because of rain, Atlanta was leading that contest 1-0 before it was called. The Cardinals won this series with a three game sweep. It's hard to say, but the postponed game might have been a blessing in disguise as the Cardinals were on the way to their first title since 1967.

October 6, 1968: The Cardinals Go Up 3 Games To 1 In The '68 Fall Classic

On October 6, 1968, the Cardinals moved within one game of winning their second consecutive title with a 10-1 win over the Tigers in Detroit. In a rematch of Game 1, Bob Gibson took on Denny Mclain, Gibby went the distance once again, just days after setting the World Series record by fanning 17 men. The game was delayed by 35 minutes by rain, it had everyone worrying about how the pitchers would do with the conditions and the extended wait to start the ballgame. One guy that wasn't worried was Gibby, he said "I sat in the clubhouse and ate some ice cream." Even after the game was underway the rain continued, it was something that Gibson was able to deal with, while it looked like it had really hurt McLain. The Detroit starter lasted just two and a third before he was sent to the showers. Lou Brock got things going as he led the game off with a home run. Mike Shannon extended the first inning lead to 2-0 with an RBI double that brought Roger Maris into score. In the third the Birds added two more in RBIs by Tim McCarver and Mike Shannon, they were in full control of the game as Gibson was working his way through the Detroit lineup with ease. The Cardinals hurler helped pad the lead with a solo shot to lead off the fourth, then Brock followed Gibson with his second hit of the day, it was a triple that would lead to a run after Maris knocked him in with a single. Gibson had his only hiccup of the game in the bottom of the fourth, he served up a long ball to Jim Northrup that cut the Cardinals lead to 6-1. The score stayed the same until the eighth, reliever John Hiller loaded the bases, then he walked Gibby who picked up an RBI on the free pass. The next man up was Mr. Lou Brock and once again he delivered with his third hit of the day, it was a double that brought all three runners into score. After the Tigers yanked Hiller, Pat Dobson came into put the fire out, he was able to get the job done but not before Brock swiped third base. Only one more Tigers batter reached base, it was in the ninth and he was quickly erased on a double play. To date, Brock is the only man to hit a homer, a triple, a double, and steal a base in a World Series game. The win marked the seventh consecutive complete game World Series victory for Gibson, which is a World Series record.  The records don't stop there for Gibson, his home run on that day in '68 was the second blast he had hit in the World Series. He blasted one in Game 7 of the '67 Fall Classic that led to a championship parade in downtown St. Louis. He struck out ten men in that game in '67 which not only makes him the only pitcher to strikeout 10 men and hit a homer in one World Series game, he's also the only man to do it twice.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET196810060.shtml

Unfortunately for the Cardinals and the fans in St. Louis, the Tigers won the next day then forced the series back to St. Louis. After they smoked them in Game 6, it set up a classic battle between Gibson and Mickey Lolich. The two pitchers hung zeroes on the board until the seventh when Jim Northrup picked up a two run triple after Curt Flood misjudged a ball in center. One batter later Northrup came into score. The three run inning dashed the hopes of a repeat. Both teams scored a run in the ninth and the game ended with the Tigers winning 4-1. While the series didn't have a storybook ending for the Cardinals it had quite a few great pages in the book along the way. I think that diving into the history of the club makes me appreciate all seasons, no matter how they end. Granted, there is nothing that I love more than the championship years, but in the end I can appreciate them all.

October 5, 1926: The First World Series Game Played In The Lou

On October 5, 1926, 37,708 fans packed Sportsman's Park to watch the Cardinals take on the New York Yankees in Game Three of the Fall Classic. Those fans witnessed the first World Series to be played in St. Louis in the modern era. After the teams split the first two games in New York, the Cardinals returned to St. Louis with a heroes welcome. The mayor of the city Victor Miller ordered that the workday be ended at 3 p.m. so all the fans in the city could meet at Union Station to welcome the team home. Rogers Hornsby was presented with a brand new Lincoln sedan while each player on the team received a brand new hat, a new pair of shoes, and a gold watch to commemorate their achievements. Once the teams got to playing ball, Jesse Haines proved to be too much for the Yankees. The Cardinals hurler and future Hall of Famer limited the Yankees to just 5 hits as he went the distance in a 4-0 shutout. Haines also hit a two run home run in the fourth that capped off a three run frame for the Birds. The Cards added one more to the board in the fifth after Billy Southworth and Rogers Hornsby led the inning off with back-to-back singles. Southworth moved all the way to third after Hornsby's hit then Jim Bottomley knocked him in with a groundout to second. Haines struck out just three men while going the distance for the team, he was not only assisted by his bat and his arm, the Cardinals defense behind him played spectacularly as they rolled to victory.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN192610050.shtml

October 4, 1891: Ted Breitenstein Tosses The First No Hitter In The History Of The St. Louis Cardinals Organization

On October 4, 1891, in his first major league start, lefthanded pitcher Ted Breitenstein threw the first no-hitter in the history of the organization that would become known as the Cardinals. The masterpiece came in front of a home crowd at Sportsman's Park in an 8-0 win over the Louisville Colonels. The 22 year-old St. Louis native faced the minimum 27 batters, allowing just one walk to Harry Taylor who was promptly erased with a double play. This happened in the last year that the Browns were a part of the American Association. After the league folded they joined the National League at the beginning of the 1892 campaign. Breitenstein's  no-no was the first time it had been accomplished by a pitcher in his first major league start and the last no-hitter that was tossed in the American Association. Breitenstein did appear in several games as a reliever before he got a chance to start. He made the most of the chance as he pitched his way into the history books. Breitenstein pitched for 11 years in the major with limited success. In 1893, he posted a 3.18 e.r.a. which was the best in the National League, despite that fact he had a 19-24 record that season. He recorded 27 wins for the Browns in 1894 which was his highest win total while he was a member of the St. Louis club. After spending his first 6 seasons in his hometown Breitenstein was sold to the Cincinnati Reds. He spent 4 years in Cincy, topping the 20 win mark twice and he even recorded his second no-hitter as a member of the Reds in 1898. After four seasons in Cincinnati he returned to St. Louis for the 1901 season, at this point the team had taken the Cardinals name and he had come full circle. He only pitched in three games during the 1901 season, before moving on to the Southern Association where he played for 11 more years. Over the course of his 11 years in the majors, Breitenstein posted a 160-170 record, he might not have had Hall of Fame numbers but he will always be the first pitcher to record a no-hitter in the history of the Cardinals organization. It would take 33 years for another pitcher to accomplish the feat as a member of the Cardinals. To date, 10 men have tossed a no-no for the organization.

Here are Breitenstein's career numbers: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/breitte01.shtml

October 3, 1934: Dizzy and The Gang Take Game One Of The World Series

On October 3, 1934, with just two days of rest Dizzy Dean pitched a complete game in an 8-3 win over the Detroit Tigers in Game One of the World Series. It was the third time in 5 days that Dean would go the distance for the Birds. He picked up his 29th win two days before the regular season came to an end. Then grabbed his 30th victory on the last day of the season, which also clinched the pennant for the Cardinals. Just a few days after that pennant clincher Dean was ready to roll again and so were his teammates. The Tigers sent General Crowder to the mound to face Dean, unfortunately for Crowder his teammates behind him committed 5 errors in the first three innings. The infield was usually a strength for the Tigers club, they had Big Hank Greenberg at first, Charlie Gehringer at second, Billy Rogell at short, while Marv Owen stood at third. The Tigers infield was described as the 18-carat part of the ballclub which was just not the case on that day in Detroit. Every one of those infielders named made errors in those first three innings and Owen made two to bring the number to 5. Crowder went 5 full innings, he pitched his ass off, striking out 6, only to have  the defensive miscues give the Cardinals a 4-1 advantage after five. Only one of those four runs could be charged to Crowder which was a home run off the bat of Ducky Medwick in the fifth. The long ball by Medwick was his third hit of the day and it was a long one that sailed into some temporary bleachers in left and he wasn't done just yet. The Tigers used two pitchers in a four run Cardinals sixth that essentially put Detroit away. Medwick picked up his fourth hit of the day in that sixth inning. Dean finished the day with 8 strikeouts while allowing the three earned runs. He admitted he took his foot off the gas pedal in the eighth when he served up a solo shot to Hank Greenberg. From there he was lights out as the Cardinals sailed to the Game One victory. While they were riding a high after the huge victory, they knew there was work to do if they wanted to achieve their goal. It was a goal that would take 7 games to achieve.

Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET193410030.shtml

October 2, 1968: Bob Gibson Strikes Out 17 in Game One of The Fall Classic

On October 2, 1968, Bob Gibson set a World Series record by striking out 17 Detroit Tigers batters in in a 4-0 win in Game 1 of the Fall Classic. Gibson was set to face 31 game-winner Denny McLain in the game that had instant classic written on it before either pitcher took the bump. McLain pitched just 5 innings and allowed 3 runs, the Detroit hurler was victimized by three errors and his own wildness while Gibson was well in control and on his way to making history. Through the first three innings Gibby mowed down 7, he would later say that he wasn't feeling his strongest but he had great control. McLain looked strong until the fourth, suddenly he lost control and walked Roger Maris on four straight pitches. He then retired Orlando Cepeda on a popup before walking Tim McCarver on four straight pitches. Mike Shannon shot a single into left, scoring Maris. Then the ball got past Willie Horton and Shannon took second while McCarver moved over to third. Julian Javier delivered with a single that scored both the runners and the Birds had a 3-0 lead while their ace was looking like a strikeout machine. Lou Brock connected with a solo shot in the seventh which accounted for the final run of the game. Brock had stolen a base in the third, then smashed his home run deep to right center more than 400 feet away from the dish. Gibson held the Tigers to just 5 hits, their only true threat came in the sixth when Dick McAuliffe singled and Al Kaline doubled. With men on second and third and two out Gibby struckout Norm Cash to get out of the jam. The only other Tigers hits were a single from Mickey Stanley in the first, a single by Don Wert in the third, then another single by Stanley to lead off the ninth. Gibson was one strikeout shy of Sandy Koufax's record of 15 as he headed into the ninth, Koufax set the mark in 1963, just 5 years later Gibson was about to obliterate it. After giving up the lead off single to Stanley, Gibson tied the record with a strikeout of Al Kaline. His next victim was Norm Cash, Gibson didn't even realize that he had broken the record, he was so locked in that he didn't even know why the crowd was giving him a standing ovation. "Tim came out in front of the plate and wouldn't go back" Gibson said "I didn't know what to make of it, so I looked at the scoreboard, then I knew." There it was flashing NEW WORLD SERIES RECORD 16 Ks!!! Then Willie Horton came to the plate and took the count to 2 and 2 before Gibson fired his 144th pitch over the dish that caught Horton looking. It was an absolute epic moment as the crowd of 54,692 cheered the great Bob Gibson as he had just delivered one of the greatest performances in World Series history.

You can watch the entire game here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR7mFvbd1XM or you can watch a great highlight video here: http://wapc.mlb.com/play?content_id=19999453

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196810020.shtml

October 1, 1987: The Cardinals Clinch The N.L. East

On October 1, 1987, with 48,763 in the stands at Busch, the Cardinals clinched the National League East Pennant with an 8-2 win over the Montreal Expos. Danny Cox delivered a playoff worthy performance as he allowed just 5 hits while Dan Driessen came up big with 3 RBIs. The win helped the Cardinals avoid the defending champion New York Mets who had at least a dozen players in the stands at Busch as they were set to begin a three game set against the Birds the following night. In late July, the Cardinals were up by 10 games in the standings, as the end of the season approached the Mets had closed that gap and if the Cardinals would have lost that game against Montreal a sweep could have forced a one game playoff to decide the winner of the division. It was something that every player on that Cardinals roster wanted to avoid, so they went out there and got the job done. The Expos tallied a run in the first on an RBI from Tim Wallach then Tony Pena knocked in a run in the third to knot things up at 1. Driessen, who was only playing for an injured Jack Clark, plated two runs with a double in the fourth. It was all Cardinals from there. They added 5 more runs in the seventh with Driessen picking up his third ribbie of the day with a sac fly. With one out in the ninth, Cox did give up a big fly to Tim Wallach before setting the next two men down to secure the division title. With some of the Mets players in the stands it made it that much more sweet of a victory for a lot of the Cardinals players who had been trading barbs with the Mets players. "That was a great way to win" Ozzie Smith said "They died a slow death and had to watch."

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN198710010.shtml