5 Most Intense Moments in the Cardinals-Cubs Rivalry

Yesterday, the Cardinals and Cubs split a two game series at Wrigley Field. And they'll meet for 5 more series in 2013. One of baseball's greatest rivalries, these two historic franchises are driven by the desire to rule the Midwest.

Oftentimes, families are divided by the issue of who to cheer for. The Cubbies have the edge in the long series at 1,173 to 1,115, but the Cards have 11 World Championships to the Cubs' two. So when attendance looks down after their first meeting this year, let's look back on some fire-fueling events of the past.

I've chosen five moments and ranked them according to their ability to amp up the competition between these division rivals. Let's see which instances had the largest effect on fans' bad blood. And feel free to share your own thoughts and memories in the comments section below!

3. "The Sandberg Game"

In 1984, the Cubs would make an underdog NLCS appearance. And one of the defining moments of their season came in a game with the Cardinals, of course.

Chicago trailed 9-8 in the ninth when Ryne Sandberg stepped up to face the dominant closer, Bruce Sutter. Sandberg homered to left field, displaying his power for one of the first times. But the Cards answered with two runs in the top of the tenth.

Later that inning, the game saw fit to rematch Sutter and Sandberg, and again, Sandberg was victorious launching his second home run of the game.

The Cubs were able to take the game from the unsuspecting Cardinals, showcasing the talent that would put them on top for one year in an era that had already seen some Redbird success. And any game that earned its own nickname must have stuck with fans for quite a while.