Last At-Bat Cardinals Postseason Wins

When Boston’s Jed Lowrie’s RBI single brought home Jason Bay in the bottom of the ninth to eliminate the Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS Monday night, he did what 17 St. Louis Cardinals have done in the long history of the franchise - win postseason games with a last at-bat hit.

Editor’s note: Though the St. Louis Cardinals aren’t in the 2008 post-season, they’ve been there 26 times. Here, we offer some of the most dramatic, most important hits of this kind ever – ones that brought the Cardinals a win in the playoffs or World Series.

Following are 17 Cardinals postseason games won in their final at-bat.

1942 - World Series Game 2                      Cardinals 4, Yankees 3

In the bottom of the eighth, Stan Musial singled home Enos Slaughter, who had doubled with two outs.  The Yankees opened the ninth with two singles but pinch runner Tuck Stainback was thrown out trying to go first to third by Slaughter and Johnny Beazley got the final two outs.

1942 - World Series Game 5                      Cardinals 4, Yankees 2

After Walker Cooper singled and Johnny Hopp sacrificed him to second, Whitey Kurowski belted a two run homer to put the Cardinals up 4-2.  The Yankees got their first two on in the bottom of the ninth but Cooper picked Joe Gordon off second on a throw to Marty Marion and Johnny Beazley got the final two outs.

1944 - World Series Game 2                      Cards 3, Browns 2 (11)

Pinch-hitter Ken O’Dea singled home Ray Sanders, who had singled and was sacrificed to second by Kurowski, with the winning run in the bottom of the 11^th.

1946 - World Series Game 7                      Cardinals 4, Red Sox 3

Harry Walker doubled home Enos Slaughter on his “mad dash” from first to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth.  Harry Brecheen gave up two singles before getting the final three outs.

1964 - World Series Game 5                      Cardinals 5, Yankees 2

Tim McCarver’s three-run homer in the top of the 10^th gave the Cardinals the lead 5-2 (Bill White had walked and Ken Boyer reached on a bunt single but was forced at second on Dick Groat’s groundout).  Bob Gibson pitched the bottom of the tenth for a complete game victory.

1982 - NLCS Game 2                                   Cardinals 4, Braves 3

Ken Oberkfell singled home David Green, who had singled and was sacrificed to second, with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

1982 - World Series Game 2                      Cardinals 5, Brewers 4

Pinch-hitter Steve Braun’s bases loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth gave the Cardinals the lead 5-4.  In the top of the ninth, Bruce Sutter gave up a lead off single to Paul Molitor, who was thrown out try to steal second by Darrell Porter before Sutter retired Robin Yount and Cecil Cooper to close out the game.

1985 - NLCS Game 5                                   Cardinals 3, Dodgers 2

It was “Go Crazy” in the bottom of the ninth as Ozzie Smith took Tom Niedenfuer deep for the victory and the 3-2 lead in the series.

1985 - NLCS Game 6                                   Cardinals 7, Dodgers 5

Jack Clark’s three-run two-out homer in the top of the ninth changed a 5-4 deficit into a 7-5 lead.  Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda elected to pitch toClark with 2 outs and first base open.  Ken Dayley put the Dodgers down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to send the Cardinals to the World Series.

1985 - World Series Game 2                      Cardinals 4, Royals 2

Down 2-0 in the top of the ninth, the Cardinals scored four times, keyed by Terry Pendleton’s 3-run double.  Jeff Lahti pitched the ninth, getting Jorge Orta to hit into a game-ending double play.

1996 - NLDS Game 2                                   Cardinals 5, Padres 4

In the bottom of the 8^th, the Cardinals took a 5-4 lead when Tom Pagnozzi’s weak grounder scored Brian Jordan from third.  Dennis Eckersley put the Padres down in order in the top of the ninth.

1996 - NLDS Game 3                                   Cardinals 7, Padres 5

Brian Jordan’s 2-run home run in the top of the ninth put the Cardinals up 7-5 and Eckersley closed out the game in the bottom of the inning for the series sweep.

1996 - NLCS Game 4                                   Cardinals 4, Braves 3

Brian Jordan’s homer in the top of the ninth gave the Cardinals a 4-3 lead and Eckersley after giving up a leadoff double to Jermaine Dye, struck out Terry Pendleton and Marquis Grissom to end the game.

2002 - NLDS Game 2                                   Cardinals 2, D'backs 1

Miguel Cairo singled home Edgar Renteria, who had singled and been sacrificed to second by Mike Matheny, in the top of the ninth to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.  Jason Isringhausen put Arizona down in order for the win.

2004 - NLCS Game 2                                   Cardinals 6, Astros 4

Albert Pujols led off the bottom of the eighth with a home run to give the Cardinals the lead, followed by a Scott Rolen solo homer.  Isringhausen gave up two walks before retiring Morgan Ensberg for the final out.

2004 - NLCS Game 6                             Cardinals 6, Astros 4

Jim Edmonds’ two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 12^th gave the Cardinals the win and forced game seven.

2005 - NLCS Game 5                               Cardinals 5, Astros 4

The Cardinals had two out and nobody on in the top of the ninth when a David Eckstein single and a Jim Edmonds walk set the stage for Albert Pujols’ mammoth home run to give the Cardinals the lead.  Isringhausen put Houston down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

2006 - NLCS Game 2                                   Cardinals 9, Mets 6

So Taguchi broke a 6-6 tie in the top of the ninth with his home run off Billy Wagner.  They added two more runs on hits by Scott Spiezio and Juan Encarnacion.  The Cardinals used the combination of Tyler Johnson and Adam Wainwright to put the Mets down in order.

2006 - NLCS Game 7
            Cardinals 3, Mets 1

Yadier Molina’s two-run homer in the top of the ninth gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead.  Wainwright loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth before striking out Carlos Beltran to send the Cardinals to the World Series.

2006 - World Series Game 4                      Cardinals 5, Tigers 4

David Eckstein doubled home Aaron Miles in the bottom of the eighth to give the Cardinals a 5-4 lead.  Adam Wainwright put the Tigers down in order in the top of the ninth to give the Cardinals a 3-1 lead in the series.