2011 World Series: Top 10 Game 1's in World Series History

The Cardinals and Rangers will battle in the 107th Game 1 in World Series history on Wednesday night in St. Louis.

There have been countless dramatic moments throughout the years as some of the all-time greats have taken the mound to battle in Game 1.

The Cardinals and Rangers are throwing their aces out there on Wednesday night, but will their matchup be exciting enough to make the following list?

Let's take a look at the 10 most exciting Game 1's in World Series history.

10. Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals 1946 World Series

A Joe Gariagiola double in the bottom of the eighth put St. Louis within three outs of a Game 1 win.

Unfortunately for St. Louis, Tom McBride singled in Don Gutteridge in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game up and send it to extra innings.

Rudy York connected for a solo home run in the top of the 10th to give the Ted Williams led Red Sox the Game 1 victory.

The Cardinals would go on to win the series in seven games.

9. New York Giants vs. Washington Senators 1924 World Series

Art Nehf and Walter Johnson each pitched complete, 12-inning games in Game 1 of the 1924 World Series.

Johnson's Seantors were trailing 2-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth when Roger Peckinpaugh doubled off of Nehf to score Ossie Bluege and tie the game at 2-2.

Johnson lost his control in the top of the 12th by walking Hank Gowdy and Jack Bentley to load the bases. 

The Giants would score two runs in the inning to give the Giants a 4-2 lead.

The Senators weren't finished though.

Bucky Harris singled in Mule Shirley to make it a 4-3 game. Sam Rice followed that up with his own single, but he was thrown out at second base trying to stretch the play to a double.

Goose Goslin would ground out to second to end the game with the tying run just 90 feet away.

The Giants won the game, but the Senators would win the series in seven games.

8. New York Yankees vs. Milwaukee Braves 1958 World Series

Game 1 of the 1958 World Series featured Hall of Famer Whitey Ford battling against Hall of Famer Warren Spahn. It doesn't get much better than that!

The Yankees led the game 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth until Milwaukee left fielder Wes Covington hit a sacrifice fly to left-center, scoring Eddie Matthews.

The game was tied 3-3 heading to the bottom of the 10th when Milwaukee got singles from Joe Adcock and Dell Crandall.

Bill Bruton stepped to the plate and delivered a single of his own that scored Adcock and gave the Braves the victory.

The Yankees would come back to win the series in seven games.

7. Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees 1977 World Series

Game 1 of the 1977 World Series was a close game throughout. The Yankees tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Willie Randolph homerun, and then took the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth.

Lee Lacy of the Dodgers would tie the game up in top of the ninth by hitting a single to left field, scoring Dusty Baker.

The game continued on until the bottom of the 12th inning when Paul Blair knocked in Willie Randolph for the walk off victory.

The Yankees would win the series 4-2.

6. New York Mets vs. New York Yankees 2000 World Series

The Subway Series between the New York Mets and New York Yankees started off with a dramatic Game 1.

The Mets had a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, but closer Armando Benitez was unable to shut the door on the Yankees.

Chuck Knoblauch hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Paul O'Neill to tie the game at 3-3 and sending the game into extra innings.

The Yankees had bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th with only one out before O'Neill would hit into a double play to end the Yankees scoring chance.

The Yankees had another shot in the bottom of the 11th inning. Runners were on second and third with two outs when Glenallen Hill flied out to right, ending another Yankees rally.

Jose Vizcaino finally broke the tie in the bottom of the 12th inning by hitting a single to left field, scoring Tino Martinez to win the game.

The Yankees would go on to win the series in five games.

5. Cincinnati Reds vs. New York Yankees 1939 World Series

The Reds and Yankees were tied at 1-1 with Paul Derring (25-7) and Red Ruffing (21-7) battling to take control of the first game of the 1939 World Series.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the ninth when Charlie Keller tripled off of Derringer. The Reds intentionally walked Joe Dimaggio, and Yankees catcher Bill Dickey delivered the first ever Game 1 walk off by hitting a single to centerfield to give the Yankees the 2-1 victory.

The Yanks would go on to sweep the Reds in four games.

4. St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series

The Red Sox and Cardinals faced off in one of the wildest Game 1's in World Series history.

The Red Sox jumped out to an early 7-2 lead after three innings. However, the Cardinals scored three in the fourth and two in the sixth to tie the game at 7-7.

The Red Sox took the lead again in the bottom of the seventh inning with back to back singles from Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz to go ahead 9-7.

The Cardinals came to bat in the top of the eighth inning and eked out two runs on Boston closer Keith Foulke to tie the game again at 9-9.

Boston came to bat in the bottom of the eighth with the bottom of their lineup due up to bat.

Jason Varitek reached base an on an error, and then Mark Bellhorn hit a two-run homerun to put the Red Sox out in front again.

The Cardinals brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth but were unable to deliver another big hit.

3. Brooklyn Dodgers vs. New York Yankees 1949 World Series

Rookie starter Don Newcombe (17-8) battled Yankees veteran Allie Reynolds (17-6) in Game 1 of the 1949 World Series.

Neither starter allowed a run until the bottom of the ninth inning. 

Yankees first baseman Tommy Heinrich hit a lead off homerun to right field in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Yankees the walk-off win.

The Yanks would go on to win the series in five games.

2. Cleveland Indians vs. New York Giants 1954 World Series

The Vic Wertz led Cleveland Indians travelled to New York for Game 1 of the 1954 World Series.

The Indians jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Giants quickly tied it the game in the third inning.

The score would remain 2-2 until the bottom of the 10th inning, when pinch hitter Dusty Rhodes hit a walk off three home run to give the Giants the Game 1 victory.

The Giants would go on to sweep the Indians in four games.

1. Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 1988 World Series

Hollywood doesn't create storylines like this one, because people would call it too unbelievable.

The Athletics had a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth when they turned the game over to Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley. Eckersley had a league leading 45 saves that year and finished second in the Cy Young Award voting and fifth in MVP voting.

He retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth, but pinch hitter MIke Davis worked a walk.

Kirk Gibson stepped to the plate, 3-2 count, two outs, bottom of the ninth, team trailing 4-3, and hits the clutchest of clutch two-run homeruns to right field to win the game.

The Dodgers would go on to win the series in five games.