David Freese Leads Comeback, St. Louis Cardinals Move Within 1 in Loss Column

David Freese needs to consider changing his middle name to "Doesn't." In a spectacular game in which he hit a triple, a homer, five RBI and turned a key spectacular double play, he and the Redbirds beat the Mets to close within one in the loss column of the Atlanta Braves

The Cardinals sit 1.5 games back after winning 12 of 14, and once seemingly impossible playoff hopes have resurrected and are now thriving in St. Louis. Between the Cardinals' red-hot play and the Atlanta Braves' collapse, the Cardinals are on the precipice of one of the great end-of-season closes of all time. 

On September 5 the Cards were 8.5 games behind the Braves for the wild card. Since then, Atlanta has gone 5-9. Over that same span, the Cardinals have gone 12-2.

Beyond the impressive streak is the amazing way the Cardinals keep coming from behind to win. It was the sixth time in their 12 wins where they won a game they trailed in the seventh inning or later. It was also the second night in a row where Freese knocked in the go-ahead run. 

The consistent come from behind wins is a complete turnaround from the club's earlier season antics where they kept handing away late inning runs. In all, they have blown 24 saves this season. 

On top of that, they've been without their usual cleanup hitter, Matt Holliday, who may be lost for the season. Offseason acquisition and leading candidate for comeback player of they year, Lance Berkman has been hitting in his place, and Freese has stepped into Berkman's slot. 

As a result of the third baseman's late-inning heroics, the Cards haven't missed a beat without their All-Star left fielder. 

As the season winds to a close, this has now become the closest playoff race in the Majors. The more closely watched race featuring Tampa Bay chasing Boston in the American League saw both the Rays and the Red Sox fall tonight. That leaves Tampa 2.5 games in back of Boston.

For now, the best way to sum things up is the Albert Pujols quote of the year: "I guess it just took us 152 or 153 games to figure things out."