Post-Season Game 6 – 2 Out RBI In 9th Inning When Trailing
Posted by Steve Lombardi on October 28, 2011
Before tonight, here's the other times where it has happened:
| Cr# | Gm# | Date | Series | Gm# | Batter | Tm | Opp | Pitcher | Score | Inn | RoB | Out | Pit(cnt) | RBI | WPA | RE24 | Play Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1906-10-14 | WS | 6 | Solly Hofman | CHC | @CHW | Doc White | down 8-2 | 1B | t9 | 1-3 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 | 0.95 | .06 | Single to LF; Evers Scores; Gessler to 2B | |
| 2 | 1 | 1930-10-08 | WS | 6 | Chick Hafey | STL | @PHA | George Earnshaw | down 7-0 | 2B | t9 | -2- | 2 | 1 | 0.00 | 1.00 | .01 | Double to LF; High Scores | |
| 3 | 1 | 1968-10-09 | WS | 6 | Julian Javier | STL | DET | Denny McLain | down 13-0 | 1B | b9 | 12- | 2 | 1 | -0.00 | 1.00 | .00 | Single to RF; Maris Scores; Cepeda to 2B | |
| 4 | 1 | 1977-10-18 | WS | 6 | Vic Davalillo | LAD | @NYY | Mike Torrez | down 8-3 | 1B | t9 | 1-3 | 2 | 1 (0-0) | 1 | 0.01 | 0.94 | .19 | Single to 3B/Bunt; Garvey Scores; Baker to 2B |
| 7 | 3 | 1985-10-16 | NLCS | 6 | Jack Clark | STL | @LAD | Tom Niedenfuer | down 5-4 | HR | t9 | -23 | 2 | 1 (0-0) | 3 | 0.73 | 2.53 | 6.85 | Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF); McGee Scores; Smith Scores |
| 9 | 2 | 1992-10-13 | NLCS | 6 | David Justice | ATL | PIT | Tim Wakefield | down 13-2 | HR | b9 | 1-- | 2 | 3 (1-1) | 2 | -0.00 | 1.88 | .00 | Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep RF); Treadway Scores |
| 10 | 1 | 1992-10-24 | WS | 6 | Otis Nixon | ATL | TOR | Tom Henke | down 2-1 | 1B | b9 | 12- | 2 | 3 (0-2) | 1 | 0.47 | 1.16 | 6.51 | Single to LF (Ground Ball thru SS-3B Hole); Blauser Scores; Smith to 3B; Nixon to 2B/Adv on throw to Hm |
| 11 | 1 | 1996-10-26 | WS | 6 | Marquis Grissom | ATL | @NYY | John Wetteland | down 3-1 | 1B | t9 | 1-3 | 2 | 1 (0-0) | 1 | 0.06 | 0.93 | 2.97 | Single to RF (Ground Ball thru 2B-1B); Klesko Scores; Belliard to 2B |
| 12 | 1 | 1997-10-14 | NLCS | 6 | Keith Lockhart | ATL | FLA | Kevin Brown | down 7-3 | 1B | b9 | 12- | 2 | 5 (1-2) | 1 | 0.03 | 1.00 | .56 | Single to RF (Ground Ball thru 2B-1B); Blauser Scores; Colbrunn to 2B |
| 13 | 1 | 2004-10-20 | NLCS | 6 | Jeff Bagwell | HOU | @STL | Jason Isringhausen | down 4-3 | 1B | t9 | 12- | 2 | 1 (0-0) | 1 | 0.33 | 1.00 | 5.47 | Single to LF (Line Drive); Ensberg Scores; Beltran to 2B |
| 15 | 2 | 2006-10-18 | NLCS | 6 | So Taguchi | STL | @NYM | Billy Wagner | down 4-0 | 2B | t9 | -23 | 2 | 5 (1-2) | 2 | 0.02 | 1.71 | .49 | Double to LF (Line Drive); Encarnacion Scores; Rolen Scores |
.
Of course, the Rangers just homered now - taking away from the excitement of what the Cards did in the 9th...
October 28th, 2011 at 12:12 am
"Taking away from the excitement..."?
Not given the start of the last of the 10th!
Stay tuned, ball fans.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:21 am
In all postseason games, Freese's triple was just the 15th 2-out tying RBI by the home team in the bottom of the 9th or later:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/share.cgi?id=tOamD
It was the 7th in World Series play, The previous 2 came on consecutive nights 10 years ago, the HRs off B.Kim by Brosius and Tino.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:25 am
And now it's happened twice in one game, for the first time ever.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:28 am
This game is great/crazy.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:36 am
Unbelievable....
October 28th, 2011 at 12:40 am
Yessss! Game 7 here we come.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:46 am
David Freese - highest post-season WPA ever for a hitter. 2nd only to Babe Ruth's 14 inning 2-1 CG in 1916 as a pitcher
October 28th, 2011 at 12:48 am
I'd say that was unexpected but I kinda felt like it was meant to be. Great game by Napoli though, 2/3 with 3 walks.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:48 am
Absolutely insane. Washington lost the game from the managerial perspective, and the Rangers didn't execute AT ALL. Washington burned through one of his better relievers batting for him T10 with runner on first and 2 out, and potentially lost it by leaving Cruz in RF for the 9th rather than replacing him with a defensive replacement. The Rangers pitchers pitched like they owned stock in St Louis baseball, grooving fastball after fastball. But give StL credit: they beat the hell outta the ball.
Just wow.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:50 am
The 15 pitchers used tonight 2nd most in World Series game behind Game 3 White Sox/Astros in '05 (17).
October 28th, 2011 at 12:51 am
Speaking of Wash's moves ... it happened so long ago it almost seems like another game, but bringing in Ogando with the bases loaded left me flabbergasted. Ogando has not been good at all this series, and isn't it just possible that working 5 out of 6 games is too much for a guy who was in the rotation most of the year?
October 28th, 2011 at 12:54 am
David Freese - highest post-season WPA ever for a hitter.
I thought we learned that WPA is a worthless stat... *ducks*
October 28th, 2011 at 12:59 am
Texas Bullpen: Sets World Series record for most relievers allowing two or more baserunners in a game - six.
Old record of five, many times, most recent, Cleveland in Game 3 in 1997 vs Florida.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:10 am
If St. Louis wins the Series, it will be only the second time in World Series history that a team has been down to its final out and gone on to win the Series. As we all know, the other team to do so was also down to its final strike in Game Six.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:17 am
Can we just take a moment and discuss how awful that IBB was to Pujols in the 10th.
Runners on 2nd and 3rd, BERKMAN on deck, 2 outs, up by 2, RHP on the mound.
Berkman has hit RHP better than Pujols all season and very similar all career. Literally nothing was gained here and STL pretty much got a free winning run on first base.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:20 am
I don't get the move to walk Pujols to get to Berkman. Albert has been hot-and-cold all series, Berkman has just been hot. I mean, I do get it, but still...
October 28th, 2011 at 1:21 am
@15 Ha! Snap.
October 28th, 2011 at 2:29 am
The Rangers had lots of leads. In fact, they never trailed after the second inning--until they lost. But Texas pitchers nickel-and-dimed every lead away, incapable of throwing a good strike when it mattered. Twice, the Cards were down to their last strike--and both times, they tied the game. Kudos to the Cards for not giving up, but Rangers pitchers gave this game away.
Ron Washington's moves notwithstanding, the Texas pitching staff choked--epically. It's a term I hate, but I think it's appropriate here. Should the Rangers lose Game 7,, the 2011 World Series was lost in Game 6, by a gutless display of pitching incompetence for the ages.
October 28th, 2011 at 2:29 am
Why not bring in Rhodes to pitch to Berkman in the bottom of the 10th? I was listening to Orel Hershiser on the radio and right before Berkman got that hit to tie the game Orel said Berkman was locked in on every pitch. Berkman is not the same hitter from the right side although he can still hit one out.
October 28th, 2011 at 3:15 am
Twice they were down to their final strike!
Amazed me how many players didn't hustle in spots today where they should've been hustling. I actually thought that if Freese had busted it all the way he might've had an inside the park game winning home run in the 9th inning. Hamilton only getting to first on the dropped pop up was terrible.
Also, Pujols on 3rd in the 10th, he jogged home on the 2 out grounder 5-3. If an errant throw to first had resulted in a tag play, he could've cost him team the winning run by jogging in so slow.
October 28th, 2011 at 6:19 am
As Freese's dinger sailed over the wall, I said to my fiance, "And this is why we watch baseball."
October 28th, 2011 at 7:32 am
Timmy @19,
The primary reason was probably because they released him in August and he signed with the Cardinals. Had the Rangers brought him in, he probably would have thrown batting practice to Berkman and the Cardinals would have won it in 10.
TOJ @20,
The forced runner is considered to be out before the run scores whether the out is recorded via stepping on the base or tagging the runner. If the batter were to reach first and then be called out for rounding the base and failing to return before a tag was applied then the timing would matter, but not if the 1B were simply pulled off the base and tagged him on the way by.
Freese is a slow runner (by professional baseball player standards) who has had more than ankle surgery. He slid into 3rd as the ball was returned to the infield. Although I didn't see how he ran out of the box, I think it is unlikely that he could have scored on that play.
Hamilton might be under orders from Washington to be a bit careful on the bases considering his groin or hernia injury. You don't want to lose him for the rest of the game/series because he's doing an all out sprint for second on a routine pop up to 3rd.
October 28th, 2011 at 7:35 am
I want to say that I hate the term "down to their last/final strike". I can go with "One strike away from winning/losing", but if the Cards were "down to their last strike" in the ninth inning, how do you explain the eight strikes that were thrown after that point!
Look, I understand the statement, I just don't think it is a logically sound way to explain the situation.
@20, Pujols hasn't been running hard all series (all post-season), and I don't think it is from "being lazy". He seems to be nursing some minor injury.
October 28th, 2011 at 8:22 am
@20...come on Jimbo...regarding Pujols, learn basic baseball rules.
October 28th, 2011 at 8:23 am
@18..."gutless display of pitching incompetence for the ages."
***
Wow, tell us how you really feel! Holy schnikies!
October 28th, 2011 at 8:56 am
@ 2, I was at that game, my only series game.
I am not a Yankee fan, but a life long New Yorker, and I have to say, baseball or no baseball, it ranks up there as the best moments of my life.
I was in the bleachers and it felt as if the foundation was crumbling.
It was exactly what the city of New York needed in the most trying of times.
50,000 people screaming everypitch, I swear the new stadium was built in part to the structural damage done that night.
Although Paul ONiel didn’t do much, it was to be his last game at the stadium and eveytime he came up, the crowd figured it would be his last in pinstripes at the stadium, but due to extra innings, he got two additional atbats. He comes, or used to come out to the Who’s Baba O’Reily, and I swear it brought tears to all 10,000 eyes. I am not into god, but I prayed he’d get a hit, but it was not to be. Every time I hear Baba O’Reily I get goosebumps thinking of that game.
It was as close to a magical experience as one could have.
I envy those who stuck it out in St Louis last night. It was magic on TV, it must of been other-wordly in person.
A few days after the game, my then girlfriend was delivering her doctoral thesis at the New School, which consisted of reading ten poems. Although she had selected 10 poems months before the reading, she surprised everyone by reading 6 poems about that game. She was only a casual fan and couldn’t care about the Yankees, but that was testament to the power of this game.
Taking nothing away from the Cardinals and their fans, but the 2001 series was made so special because Sept 11th was still fresh and there was such a feeling of doom and gloom in the city. It was as if baseball knew what everyone needed. I can only imagine those that were there last night.
Baba O’reily still sends me to that night.
A few of my Girls poems about that game went on to be published, but unless you were there, they don’t really have the same effect.
For one night, lets forget all the stats, who wins game 7, forget the Cards, the Rangers, Pujols, Hamilton… that’s why we all watch this game.
I get my back into my living
I don't need to fight
To prove I'm right
I don't need to be forgiven
Don't cry
Don't raise your eye
It's only teenage wasteland
October 28th, 2011 at 9:16 am
@26
That was truly touching Duke... That was a great post.
I am a Yankee fan... and I am glad you could share with the joy that winning that game brought us.
I feel bad for Texas... because of how close they were last night.
Remember Doris Kearns Goodwin's daughter telling her after game 6, "Don't worry Mom. There's always game 7. But Doris knew the outcome of that game even before it happened.
I feel the same way about the game tonight for Texas.
I hope I am wrong...
I hope...
October 28th, 2011 at 9:36 am
Correct me if I remember this incorrectly. When Craig was up in the bottom of the ninth, McCarver said, "he has good power to right". After Craig fanned and Freese tripled to right, did McCarver say, "We said he had good power to right"
October 28th, 2011 at 10:01 am
@26: "For one night, lets forget all the stats, who wins game 7, forget the Cards, the Rangers, Pujols, Hamilton… that’s why we all watch this game."
Sounds familiar. You're welcome for the quote I posted a couple of hours prior in no. 21.
October 28th, 2011 at 10:03 am
@28,
I missed that one, but I did hear Joe Buck twice suggest that Garcia would most likely be the pinch hitter in the 10th before someone whispered in his earpiece that he had started the game. McCarver and Buck are obsessed with the idea that Garcia is a good hitting pitcher - they've mentioned it 5 or 6 times this series. The numbers don't back this up, and Lohse and Jackson are clearly superior hitters.
October 28th, 2011 at 10:11 am
@23, Tim: " if the Cards were 'down to their last strike' in the ninth inning, how do you explain the eight strikes that were thrown after that point!"
Tim, I explain it by the fact that they did not use up that last strike until they had tied the game. When a batter with 2 strikes reached base, they earned more strikes to use.
If I'm "down to my last dollar," it doesn't mean that's the last dollar I'll ever see in this lifetime. It's understood that the rules allow me to acquire more dollars.
I don't see any problem with the phrase. Its meaning cannot possibly be confused by anyone familiar with the basic structure of baseball.
Question: If there are 2 strikes and the pitch comes right down the heart of the plate and is fouled off, would you object to the statement that "the pitcher threw a strike"?
October 28th, 2011 at 11:55 am
This is why we watch a baseball game till it's actually over (invoke the famous Yogi-ism here...)
October 28th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
@24
Wow, for all the years I've watched and followed baseball, I was always under the impression that if an out was recorded via a tag, runners that crossed the plate prior to the tag would be runs. I guess it's so rare to happen at first base that I had never heard the rule was different there.