David Freese of the Cardinals hit a walk off home run to end the greatest World Series game ever
This time of year it’s football, football and more football. And if we have any time for extra coverage, then well… we’ll add in some more football. A quick look at this website will tell you just that. Except for that soccer story that slipped in there. Where did that come from?
That’s where I was headed last Thursday night when I jumped into my truck – a football game. Only there was a problem. The battery was done and the truck wouldn’t start.
The truck went to the mechanic and I was stuck at home watching Game Six of the World Series. At least that was my thinking at the time.
I’m not sure if it was fate or what but never was I more thankful for a dead battery. Four and a half hours later I had just witnessed the best World Series game of all time. Actually the game was supposed to be played Wednesday night but was postponed a day due to rain. Thanks inclement weather!
I’m not saying it was the best World Series of all time but for one single game Game Six between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals has to rank right up there- at least in my lifetime.
There have been plenty to choose from. If you’re a Dodger fan, there is Kirk Gibson and Game One in 1988 vs. the A’s. If you’re an Angel fan there’s the sixth game in 2002 against Barry Bonds and the Giants. There’s Carlton Fisk’s home run for the Red Sox in 1975 which was also a Game Six or Jack Morris throwing ten scoreless innings for the Twins in Game Seven in 1991 to beat Atlanta.
Game Seven of the 1960 Series has been mentioned and there was the Mets’ miracle and Bill Buckner in Game Six in ’86.
But this game had everything and more. The Cardinals ultimately won 10-9 in 11 unforgettable innings but they had no business winning. They committed three errors early in the contest that should have cost them the game. One of them by David Freese, was a routine pop up to third base that he simply dropped. It’s an error rarely even seen in a Little League game. Freese also made another error later.
Freese then becomes the hero by tying the game with a two out triple in the ninth and then winning it with a walk off home run in the eleventh.
The Cards trailed in the game on five different occasions. They were down 7-4 at one point and were down by two runs in both the ninth and tenth innings before rallying to tie. Oh and by the way on both of those occasions, there were down to their last strike.
Lance Berkman’s double tied it in the tenth before Freese won it in the eleventh.
The Rangers had their potential heroes. Josh Hamilton belted a two run home run in the top of the tenth to put Texas up 9-7. Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz hit back to back bombs in the seventh to break a 4-4 tie in what appeared to be backbreakers for the St. Louis at the time. Now they’ll be forgotten.
The Cardinals were the first team in post season history to score in the eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh innings of any game.
There were five errors total in the game, two committed by Texas, but that only added to the extravaganza.
There were 19 runs scored, 28 hits and 13 pitchers used by both teams combined. The game lasted four hours and 33 minutes and was played in 53 degree weather before a sold out crowd in St. Louis.
The only thing that might have made it better was if it was a Game Seven but that was played the next night. I didn’t see that one. I was at a football game.
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com.
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