Cardinals Add Jewel to Midwestern Crown, Rangers Carry on Proud Tradition of Championship-less Senators

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

After the epic game six that will go down as one of the strangest and most exhilarating, if not most well-played, games in postseason history, the elimination contest didn’t stand a chance of living up to its predecessor. Unless the game featured a quadruple reverse comeback or a pitcher hurled balls to the plate using the powers of telekinesis, some fans would come away disappointed.

Without Matt Holliday in the lineup and with Albert Pujols continuing his postseason slump, game three excluded, Chris Carpenter lasted six innings while surrendering only two first inning runs, walking two and striking out five. David Freese, holding onto his hometown hero status, doubled in two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game and when Allen Craig homered off of Matt Harrison in the third, the game was effectively over. Even if no one in the park realized it.

As the Cardinals bask in the glory of their eleventh World Championship, one that seemed impossible in September and unlikely up until the seventh inning of Thursday night’s game, the Rangers have no one to blame but themselves. Texas pitchers walked 41 batters in the series including six on the final day, and offered nary a threat following their two-run burst in the first inning. Maybe if Nelson Cruz could have picked up the pace a little or the Rangers pitchers could have closed the door during their multiple leads, or the bats came to life after Carpenter’s departure, Arlington would be home to the Commissioner’s Cup. Or maybe they were destined to be the foil to the conclusion of St. Louis’ bizarre season.

All I know is that watching Ron Washington exit the dugout without a jittery dance was akin to watching the end of Free Willy 2. Just as that film was plenty depressing without being, you know, good, so too were Ron Washington’s final steps equally disheartening.

After being selected as series MVP, David Freese was quoted as saying, “It’s the same game you play at six, seven years old. It’s just a lot harder.” The Rangers have learned that the hard way for two years in a row.