2011 MLB Playoffs: St. Louis Cardinals Crush Brewers, Advance to World Series

Arguably the greatest late-season comeback in baseball history continues as the St. Louis Cardinals advanced to the world series Sunday night, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 12-6 in Game 6 of the NLCS to win the series four games to two.

Once down 10.5 games in late August, it seemed improbable at that point that the Cardinals would be representing the National League in the World Series.   

In the NLDS, the Cardinals advanced past the Philadelphia Phillies in a pitchers' duel for the ages. Sunday night's game was anything but. 

In the top of the first inning, Cards center fielder John Jay singled, then stole second. With first base open, Shaun Marcum walked Albert Pujols. A Lance Berkman single then scored Jay. After that, Matt Holiday reached first on a fielder's choice. Pujols was called out after taking off for home—a call which replays showed to be incorrect. 

Then David Freese hammered a three-run blast that really got the scoring rolling. That accounted for his 12th, 13th and 14th RBIs of the postseason, and it was enough to eventually sew up the NLCS MVP award. The Major League record for RBIs in one postseason is 19, shared by Scott Spiezio, David Ortiz and Roberto Alomar. Freese certainly has a shot at that record in the World Series. 

Freese and Pujols have combined for a total of 24 RBIs and have scored 15 runs this postseason. 

That was it for the scoring in the top of the first, but the Brewers didn't even wait for an out before they got their bats going. Corey Hart led off the bottom of the first for the Brew Crew with a solo homer.

However, after the Cardinals' Rafael Furcal added another run for the Redbirds in the top of the second, the Brewers cut the gap to one run with a solo shot by Rickie Weeks and a two-run blast by Jonathan Lucroy. After two innings, the Cardinals led 4-3, and both starters were already out of the game. 

The Cardinals just kept putting pressure on the Brewers though, as Pujols went yard to lead off the third. Nick Punto sacrificed home Holliday. Allen Craig, pinch hitting for Cardinals starter Edwin Jackson, singled in two more runs and the Cards took a 9-4 lead. 

The five half-innings tied a Major League record for most consecutive postseason half-innings with runs scored. Then the Brewers celebrated that by actually not scoring in the bottom of the third. The Cards matched zeroes with the Brewers to start the fourth. 

Then all that scoreless play got boring, so the Brewers added a run in the bottom of the fourth off a Yuniesky Betancourt double. The Cardinals added two more when Yadier Molina scored on a pair of Jerry Hairston errors—one fielding and one throwing. Then Freese sacrificed home Holliday. The St. Louis lead ballooned to 11-5.

Then, in the bottom of the fifth, Ryan Braun grounded home Carlos Gomes to get Milwaukee back within five. After only five innings, the score was already 11-6 Cardinals. 

The sixth and seventh innings passed without further damage on either side. 

Then Albert Pujols got tired of all those zeroes and singled in Dennis Descalso to break up the monotony. 

There was a nice round of applause for Prince Fielder when he came up for what might be the last time as a Milwaukee Brewer in the bottom of the eighth. Albert Pujols called for timeout when he came up so the fans could give him the ovation he deserved. 

Asked why he did it, Pujols told the TBS commentators, "I've been in that situation in St. Louis with the best fans in baseball. I wanted him to get a great standing ovation. He's done so much for this organization, and I'm pretty sure he'll be back." 

Cardinals fans, feel free to take what you want from that statement. 

Asked why the Cardinals had stepped it up during the postseason, it was a simple response, "We keep picking each other up, that's it. We keep picking each other up." 

The Cardinals will now advance to the World Series to face the Texas Rangers. Ironically, thanks to Prince Fielder's performance in the All-Star Game, St. Louis will have the home-field advantage in the series for the first time since 1982, when they played the Milwaukee Brewers in the Fall Classic.

Because of the win, they will also have their rotation set up optimally to pitch their ace, Chris Carpenter in Game 1. CJ Wilson, the Rangers ace, will also be starting in Game 1. 

It's not like the rotation looks to matter much in this World Series, though. Between the Rangers and Cardinals, Carpenter was the only starter to record a win in either LCS. The other seven wins were all recorded by the bullpens. 

It's guesswork as Tony LaRussa has not divulged anything, but logic suggests that one of the veteran outfielders, Berkman or Holliday will fill in as the DH in the Texas games.