CARDINALS CLAIM 11TH WORLD SERIES TITLE!!!

At the beginning of the season, it seemed that the St. Louis Cardinals were already having a year to forget. Adam Wainwright had to get Tommy John Surgery which sidelined him for the entire season and the team failed to get a contract extension with Albert Pujols. Yet somehow it still became memorable.

Game 7 of the 2011 World Series was last night in St. Louis and both the Rangers and the Cardinals came in ready to go. The Rangers needed some early runs to kill that momentum that the Cardinals had gained in game 6. The Rangers were able to put up 2 early runs in the first inning to get on top of the Cardinals. That would've worked if the Cardinals didn't strike back immediately. With two men on base, David Freese, the hero of game 6, hit a double to left center and was able to score in 2 RBI's to tie the game. From then on out, it was all Cardinals.

Chris Carpenter was able to start and settled down after a rough first inning. He pitched 6 innings in the game allowing only the 2 runs, struck out 5, and walked only 2 batters. Meanwhile, the Cardinals offense picked up the hint starting with an Allen Craig home run in the 3rd inning to give them the lead. A couple more runs scored in the 5th thanks to a bases loaded walk and then a bases loaded hit by pitch. Yadier Molina would later get an RBI single in the 7th. The Cardinals bullpen was solid and held the Rangers in check. The 9th inning came with Motte (not anyone else) coming in and getting the outs. David Murphy was the last one up, flying out to Allen Craig in LF for the final out. Cardinals win game 7, 6-2, and the 2011 World Series.

One of the most unlikely World Series runs has ended with the Cardinals claiming their 11th World Series title. This series will no doubt be remembered for a miraculous game 6 in which the Cardinals were able to survive a couple of two strike elimination scenarios. David Freese was named MVP, no doubt for his heroics in game 6 and last night. A St. Louis native is the MVP for the Cardinals. Cool, huh?

As for the runners up, the Rangers go back to Texas failing to claim the title in the World Series for the second straight year. This time around had to have hurt even more. They had multiple chances to put away the Cards in game 6 and failed to do so. They now enter the off season with a much greater insult to injury.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, get to enter the off season as World Series Champions. What a season they had. Rough start with Wainwright gone and Pujols' future uncertain. The Cards didn't really look like World Series favorites throughout the season being 10 1/2 games out of the Wild Card in late August. Somehow, they got hot and the Braves got cold allowing the Cards to pull through. Being down two runs with your final ABs coming up in game 6... twice, and still were able to win it. Nothing was keeping this team down. Congratulations to the Cardinals on their Championship win. These birds flew above it all.