National League Championship Series:
StL:
2
Houston: 4
NLCS
Recap (MLB)
Wednesday, 10/12 - Cards:
5 Astros:
3 (in St.Louis)
(Game
recap)
Thursday, 10/13 - Cards:
1 Astros: 4 (in St.Louis)
(Game
recap)
Saturday, 10/15 - Cards:
3 Astros: 4 (at
Houston)
(Game
recap)
Sunday, 10/16 - Cards:
1 Astros: 2 (at
Houston)
(Game
recap)
Monday, 10/17 - Cards:
5 Astros: 4 (at
Houston.)
(Game
recap)
Wednesday, 10/19 - Cards:
1 Astros: 5 (in
St.Louis)
(Game
recap)
By DAVE REYNOLDS of the Copley News
Service
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
(WITH APOLOGIES TO ERNEST LAWRENCE THAYER)
The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Cardinal nine that day;
The score stood four to two with but one inning left to play;
And then, when J-Rod struck out swinging and Mabry did the same,
A sickly silence fell as Cardinal Nation glumly watched the game.
A straggling few shut off the tube, in deep despair.
The rest clung to that hope which "springs eternal in the human breast;
"They thought, If only Albert could but get a whack at that,
We'd put up even money now, with Albert at the bat.
But Eck preceded Albert, as did also Jimmy Ed,
Both touched by Angels in the past, they must face Lidge instead;
So, upon that red-clad multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Albert's getting to the bat.
But Eck let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Jimmy waited patiently until Lidge unleashed four balls,
'Stros screaming stopped abruptly with the park about to burst,
Because Eck was safe at second, and Jimmy was huggin' first.
Then from the nation's heartland rose a yell from throats so parched,
It rumbled through the Shawnee, it rattled in the Arch,
It knocked upon the Ozarks and recoiled upon the flat,
For Albert, mighty Albert, was advancing to the bat.
There was strain in Albert's manner as he stepped into his place;
here was pride in Albert's bearing and a snarl on Albert's face,
For on this night he was oh-for-four, a collar he rarely wears,
And now, the season was on the line as he countered Lidge's stares.
A billion eyes were on him as he dug into the box;
Ten million tongues said 'Shhh' to the chatty announcers on FOX.
Then, while the strapping pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Albert's eye, a sneer curled Albert's lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Albert swung and missed the ball with quite a bit to spare,
My slider, Lidge mused, my slider he cannot hit,
But Albert saw a sea of red and knew he couldn't quit.
The assembled Texans smelled long-sought glory, so close now for theirteam,
But Albert dug in even more, resolved to spoil their dream.
No World Series bid in 44 years, not once since Houston's birth,
And now one man stood in their way of ending that dreadful dearth.
The sneer is gone from Albert's lip; his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with measured violence his bat upon the plate.
And now Brad Lidge holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the indoor air is shattered by the force of Albert's blow.
Oh! somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light.
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children sleep;
But there is no joy in Houston - mighty Albert has gone deep.
National League Division Series:
StL:
3
San Diego: 0
NLDS
Recap (MLB)
Tuesday, 10/4 - Cards:
8 San Diego:
5 (in St.Louis)
(Game
recap)
Thursday, 10/6 - Cards:
6 San Diego: 2 (in
St. Louis)
(Game
recap)
Saturday, 10/8 - Cards:
7 San Diego: 4
(in S.D.)
(Game
recap)
Albert Pujols is the NL MVP!!!
Chris Carpenter is the NL Cy Young winner!!!
2005
Season Review
(StlToday)
2005
Season Review
(MLB)
2005 NL Central Champions!
Chris Carpenter named Player of the Week!
Tony LaRussa moves into
3rd place in career wins!
Albert Pujols
gets 100 RBIs in each of his five seasons!
Albert Pujols first with 30 in first five seasons!
Cardinal notes at the
"Break"
|
New Record -
Largest lead over the second place team (11.5)!
|
|
Seventh time in
LaRussa's tenure (10yrs) that the Cards are over .500 at the break!
|
|
Only ML team to
have 3 - 10 game winners!
|
|
NL's lowest team
ERA (3.41) and 3rd in batting (.271)
|
|
29 road wins -
most in the majors
|
Cardinals have 6 players on the NL All-Star team!!!
2005
Cincinnati Trip
Albert Pujols named Co-Player of the Week!
2005
Kansas City Trip
Mark Mulder named Player of the Week!
Tony LaRussa moves into 4th place in career wins!
2005
Milwaukee Trip
2005 Season Preview
2005
Cardinal Caravan
New Ballpark pictures!!!
The Cards moved into 1st place for good on April 16th.
They held 1st place for the remaining 153 games!
On April 27th, Mark
Grudzielanek hits for the cycle against the Brewers.
On May 24th, Tony La
Russa moves into sole possession of second place on the Cardinals all-time
managerial wins list with his 823rd win. He moves past Whitey Herzog with
a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh.
Mulder beats Clemens and the Astros 1-0, pitching a complete
10 inning game on April 23rd.
On May10th, Rolen collides with Hee-Seop Choi (Dodgers) at
first base, effectively ending his season.
The Cards take 4 of 6 at Busch against the Red Sox and
Yankees.
Scott Seabol hits a game-winning homer to beat the Yankees on
June 12th.
David Eckstein hits a walk-off grand-slam homer against the
Braves on August 6th.
The Cards end the season with the ERA title (3.48) in the NL
and finish second with team batting avg. (.330)
The Cards starters
pitched more innings that any other team, 1054 and went deeper into games
averaging 6 2/3 innings.
Pujols takes over the Cardinal record for career hits in the
NLCS, 26, formally held by Willie McGee.
2005 
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