It’s a game-winning moment that was amazing at the time. Yet with the collection of moments that happened throughout last year’s “September to remember” and an October we’ll never forget, sometimes such moments don’t get fully appreciated until later.
And Carlos Marmol’s walk-off wild pitch that happened one year ago today is one of those moments.
The Cardinals entered the bottom of the ninth inning on Sept. 24, 2011, trailing 1-0 to the Chicago Cubs. Closer Carlos Marmol was pitching. Here’s how things happened from there.
Tyler Greene! Ryan Theriot! Adron Chambers!
What a win!
It’s also interesting to look back on how that victory was covered, like this headline: “Cardinals rally past Cubs in 9th, keep faint wild-card hopes alive.” Faint hopes still were hopes.
Here’s what I wrote about the game, and I do still like my “star of the game” graphic.
Then there’s this, from Christina Kahrl at ESPN:
Four games left, and two to make up. The Cardinals might still seem a long shot to make up the difference, but sometimes it’s only the odd inch or two or one man’s bad ballgame that makes all the difference. While the Braves take on the Phillies while hoping for some small measure of mercy from a division rival, the Cardinals have three games to play against the Astros after finishing their series against the Cubs on Sunday. Clearly, it ain’t over until it’s over.
Indeed.
What a team! What a ride — oh, wait, that comes later …
Our appreciation of the 2011 season will just continue to grow the more distance we get from that amazing time. This September is obviously much different, and it’s more comfortable knowing that at least the Cardinals are in control of their own destiny — although the playoff situation itself is much different with the wild-card playoff game.
Nine games are left for 2012, and we’ll see where this ride takes us. Regardless of where things go from here, we’ll always have our September 2011 memories — especially the walk-off wild pitch.
And I’ve always wondered: did the Cardinals at least give Carlos Marmol a partial playoff share?
Christine Coleman is the senior St. Louis Cardinals reporter for Aaron Miles’ Fastball. Follow her on Twitter, @CColeman802, or email aaronmilesfastball@gmail.com. Also follow @AMilesFastball for the latest updates.
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And the post of the year for 2011:
“Carlos Marmol, you’re all right.”
I remember this so well! I was at my nephew’s birthday party, so I had to check the game on AtBat… When I saw how the Cards won, I literally laughed out loud & immediately told my dad, who could not believe it. Then he laughed and made some off color comments about the cubs… This caused everyone at the party to ask what was going on… Needless to say, the whole party had a good laugh at the cubs’ expense…:)
Laughing at the Cubs’ expense is the highlight for many of my family gatherings too … especially since most of my family are Cubs fans! 🙂