Game 7 of the World Series

Jen, Jack, Satchel and I enjoying Game 7.

The St. Louis Cardinals were 10 1/2 games back on August 25, needed to win on the final day of the regular season to reach the playoffs and won three tough playoff series to become World Champions. They were down to their last strike twice in Game 6 and came back to force Game 7.

Hope you enjoyed it. That was one crazy ride.

We'll have something special in Sunday's paper so be sure to pick up a copy.

Welcome to Game 7 of the World Series live from my living room.

Thanks a rainout Wednesday of Game 6, I get to watch this and the Cardinals get to send ace Chris Carpenter to the mound to face Matt Harrison for the Rangers.

This winner-take-all game was set up last night by a pair of dramatic comebacks by the Cardinals in the 9th and 10th innings when they were down to their last strike on the season. David Freese then hit a walk-off homer in the 11th. Was that the best World Series game every played? Some think so. We'll get into that tonight along the way. Some think Game 6 in 1975 or 1986 is among the best games ever. Both of those games featured the Red Sox and forced a Game 7. So will the Cardinals tonight be the Red Sox of '75 (losing to the Big Red Machine) or the '86 Mets (who rallied to beat the Red Sox then won the series)?

One change for tonight's game, Cardinals LF Matt Holliday is out with an injury and as been replaced by rookie Adron Chambers on the roster.

I'll post from the top down so it's easier to refresh.

NINTH

Motte coming in to close it out.

He does 1-2-3.

Cardinals win 11th title. #11in11 comes true!

Series MVP: David Freese.

EIGHTH

Jack is falling asleep on the couch. If this things ends at 11:11 is that a good sign?

Not. Going. To. Start. Counting. Outs.

SEVENTH

Carp gives up a doubles and is pulled. (Standing O from crowd).

Time to stretch.

Me: What's with all the country singers during this Series?

Jen: Patriotic songs sound better in country.

Arch shot No.456 to send us away ...

"And this could be Albert Pujols' last at-bat as a Cardinal" Didn't we hear this before?

He strikes out as Jen sings Huey Lewis & The News song, "If this is it ... please let me know" ... Jack starts signing the National Anthem in a country twang.

Via text message, my brother asks why I've not talked about the absence of Matt Holliday. "My finger would have to be hanging off in order not to play," says the guy who once cut part of his finger off. Holliday has been playing hurt for awhile. It's been said earlier that if this wasn't the postseason he would be on the DL. With him going on the DL tonight, it put Craig into the lineup to hit a homer and make that catch.

That's why I've always like Holliday, he's a team guy, and when he's swinging a hot bat, he's as good as anybody.

YADI! singles in a run. Cards up 6-2.

Cards leave more runners stranded.

Time for "Here comes the King."

SIXTH

Craig shoots down a Cruz missile with a home-run stealing catch.

Carp bats to lead off the bottom half, meaning he will pitch the seventh. He's thrown 88 pitches and has walked two and struck out five, allowing two runs on five hits. How good of a big-game pitcher has he been in his career. Holds the Cards' postseason wins record. He's this generation's Bob Gibson, a touch competitor and good pitcher.

FIFTH

Leadoff hit by Kinsler, sac bunt brings up Hamilton with runner on second and one out. Great play by Freese leaning into the Rangers dugout for a flyout. (Jen is back to giving Freese the MVP).That was a big play after Carp had fallen behind to a much more dangerous Hamilton than the beginning of the series. Carp strikes out Young to end the inning.

Jen is trading texts with our friend Jackie who lives in Springfield, Mo. and every few minutes I hear, "How do you spell (insert word)?" Anybody who knows me finds that funny (I once spelled my name wrong in a story).

A one-out walk to Craig brings up Pujols, who falls behind 0-2 but gets hit by the next pitch. Berkman chops out to first but the Cards avoid a GIDP.

Walk of Freese brings up Yadi Molina with the bases loaded. Jack, without missing a beat before first pitch, "grand slam time!" Yadi thinks he draws a walk but it's a called strike for a 3-2 pitch, ball four outside, Cards up 4-2.

Ranger fans now know how Cardinal fans felt during Game 4.

Furcal is HBP, Cards up 5-2 but leave bases loaded to end the inning.

"Think the Rangers are sweating it like the Cards last night?" Jen says. "Lets hope they don't rally like we did."

FOURTH INNING

Carp goes 1-2-3 and has thrown 63 pitches.

By the way, good stuff over at Uni Watch about David Freese's jersey being ripped off last night. If you go down to the item about XFL logos being used by high school football teams, Rob Tate of the DAR submitted a photo of Hayti.

Cardinals leave two runners in scoring position with two outs when Carp flies out. Cards up 3-2.

THIRD INNING

Carp hits a batter with two outs but avoids a Cruz missle.

Isn't Tex Winter the triangle offense innovator? That commercial bugs me. Like Phil Jackson needs another title. Jen likes the Geico commercial with the hamsters.

Allen Craig with a homer ot right field. Cards up 3-2.

Jen said Craig should be MVP if the Cards win. I said in the Game 2 blog.

After his home run Craig heads to the tunnel. A few minutes later the Twitter account @Torty Craig says "Master Allllllllen! Wooooo!" Torty is Craig's pet turtle that posts some great stuff about the Cardinals.

SECOND INNING

Carp throws his first curveball for a strike after a visit from Dave Duncan and gets out of a jam with a come backer. Skip Schumaker hits into DP No. 2,345 this season and we're still tied at 2. (By the way, great call by the ump there at first.)

FIRST INNING

Carp not looking good here but the Rangers got a pair of hits to right field to go up 2-0.

FREESE does it again! Ties it 2-2 after the first.

Jen and I are sitting in our seats from the old Busch Stadium, Jack is wearing an old Rangers helmet since he shares the same last name as the starting pitcher for Texas. I'm wearing a 1982 Willie McGee jersey. We're going for an old-school watching experience, listening to the radio and watching TV, but are not opening the windows for the full effect, yet.

Last night we were driving back from St. Louis after the Poplar Bluff Mules football game. The Cardinals trailed by 2 in the 9th and I was about to start on my work as Jen drove home. "Do you want to listen to the game?" Jen asked. I didn't because I knew no work would get done the rest of the way home (I'd be thinking about a headline for Friday's paper or bummed out). But she insisted and found the KMOX feed on satellite radio. Mike Shannon's call on the triple by Freese in the 9th to tie it was great but I thought Freese had won the game and yelled so loud Jack dropped his snack. Needless to say, no work got done and I didn't get to sleep until 3 a.m. after figuring up the stats and writing the story. I get up at 5 a.m. to head into work and do the pages (luckily, Rob Tate came up with the headline today and helped read copy with Alex Abate) and got a 2-hour nap this afternoon.