The St. Louis Cardinals were down to their last strike in 2011 World Series not once, but twice last night in a game that they would eventually win. The Texas Rangers allowed the Cardinals to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth and tenth innings, then a David Freese walk-off home run in the bottom of the eleventh won the game 10-9 forced game 7.
Freese was the hero of the night twice in the game after nearly being the goat. He dropped two balls in the game, one of which sent him tumbling into the dugout, but nobody will remember this night for his fielding. In the bottom of the ninth with the Cardinals down two Freese was up to bat. Sensational Rangers closer Neftali Feliz had recorded two outs in the inning and needed only one more strike to end the game, and the series. Freese hit a two-run triple to force the game into extra innings.
In the tenth the Rangers again took the lead with a Josh Hamilton two-run home run to make the game 9-7. In the bottom of the inning the Cardinals were again down to their last strike when Lance Berkman singled to score two runners and tie the game at 9.
Texas failed to score any runs in the first half of the eleventh inning, and when Freese lead off the bottom of the inning Busch Stadium was energized from the previous two comebacks. The crowd didn't have to wait long for action as Freese sent a ball over the wall to center field and the Rangers to the clubhouse.
Game 7 will be played tonight. Tony LaRussa declined to say who would be the starting pitcher for the Cardinals. Ron Washington said the Rangers will send Matt Harrison to the mound.
