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Rangers 9 Cardinals 10 (11 innings)
That it was nothing short of amazing. The Cardinals were down to their last strike 2 times and still won the game.
Let me say that I'm not a big fan of the 'no doubles' defense. But when you are up by a run and there are runners on first and second, that is a lousy time to use it. I want my manager playing to win, not playing not to lose. If the batter gets to 2 strikes, that is an even worse time to use it. At 2 strikes the batter is just trying to make contact, if your outfielders at playing way back, there is a ton of extra space for the ball to fall and when it does, you aren't going to throw a runner out at the plate.
The Rangers were up by 3 after 7 innings and it should have been over. Then the Rangers were up by 2 going into the bottom of the 9th, and had 2 outs, with 2 strikes on David Freese and Freese hits one over a gimpy Nelson Cruz in RF. The no doubles defense failed to stop the double.
All seemed to good, again, for the Rangers when Josh Hamilton hit his first homer of the series to give them a 2 run lead in the top of the 10th. But in the bottom of the inning Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay started things off with singles. Then Kyle Lohse pinch bunted, since the Cards were out of batters on the bench. He popped the ball up but it went over the head of Adrian Beltre charging the plate. Elvis Andrus made a nice play to get the out at first. Ryan Theriot ground out to Beltre to score a run and Albert Pujols was intentionally walked. Lance Berkman went to a 2-2 count before dropping a single in front of the 'no doubles' defense scoring the runner from second. Allen Craig ground out to end the inning.
In the top of the 11th, Mike Napoli singled but the Rangers couldn't score him. What the Rangers did do was pinch hit Esteban German for pitcher Scott Feldman with 2 outs. German ground out and the Rangers were down to using Mark Lowe in the bottom of the inning. Lowe got to a full count against David Freese, leading off the inning, before giving up the walk off homer.
Rangers of the Day: Hamilton (.539 WPA), Napoli (.193, 2 for 3, 3 walks and a rolled ankle, I wonder if he'll play tomorrow), Derek Hollan (.122), Michael Young (.114) and Ian Kinsler (.102).
Suckage Rangers: Neftali Feliz (-.414, for the first Ranger blown save of the night), Lowe (-.368, for the loss), Colby Lewis (-.245), Feldman (-.220, for the second Ranger blown save) and Darren Oliver (-.195).
Cardinals of the Day: Freese (.953!!), Berkman (.817!), Jake Westbrook (.132) and Descalso (.129)/
Suckage Cardinals: Jason Motte (-.399, giving up Hamilton's homer), Lance Lynn (-.257, for answering the phone), Rafael Furcal (-.248, 0 for 5), Ryan Theriot (-.202, 0 for 3), Fernando Salas (-.176) and Craig (-.178).
There was also some dreadful defense. For the Cards :Matt Holliday dropped a fly, hoping that Furcal was going to catch. Salas threw the ball into CF trying to get an out at second on a bunt. Freese dropped a popup. On the Texas side, Young made 2 errors at first base.
Game 7 tomorrow. If it is half as good as tonight's game I'll be very very sad that I have to miss it.