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FanSided

The best and worst moments of the 2010s for the St. Louis Cardinals

By Kyle Jasper

ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 30: Third baseman David Freese of the St. Louis Cardinals takes the podium during the World Series victory parade inside Busch Stadium on October 30, 2011 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Szczepanski/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 30: Third baseman David Freese of the St. Louis Cardinals takes the podium during the World Series victory parade inside Busch Stadium on October 30, 2011 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Szczepanski/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 12: Pete Kozma #38 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a two run single in the ninth inning during Game Five of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on October 12, 2012 in Washington, DC. The Cardinals won 9-6. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 12: Pete Kozma #38 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a two run single in the ninth inning during Game Five of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on October 12, 2012 in Washington, DC. The Cardinals won 9-6. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

2nd Best: Pete Kozma go-ahead double vs the Nationals in 2012

Other than the World Series games, this game was the most electric game I have ever watched in my entire life. The back and forth play of this Game 5 of the 2012 NLDS will forever go down as one of the most memorable games in Cardinals’ recent history if you ask me.

The Washington crowd was wild and loud, the whole series had had a balance of great pitching and great hitting. The Cardinals found themselves down 7-5 in the final game of the series going into the final inning after being down 6-0 earlier in the game at the end of the 3rd inning. But inning by inning the Cardinals started to chip away until making their final push in the 9th.

The final frame got started with a laser into the right-center gap from Carlos Beltran and the dugout started to get hyped. Following the double, Holliday and Craig proceeded to make quick outs of themselves and the comeback looked bleak. The Nationals closer Drew Storen then began to lose his control and walked Yadi and David Freese both on full counts.

Then one of the most clutch hits of the decade happened BUT, it was not from Pete Kozma (yet). This one came from Daniel Descalso, a one-hop liner up the middle that went off of Ian Desmond‘s glove and into center field and the Cardinals had tied the game. Pete Kozma, who was hitting a mere .232 in AAA when he was called up, proceeded to hit .333 after getting the bump to the majors for the final 26 games of the regular season.

Finally, Pete Kozma who had been the epitome of what some call the “devil magic” of the Cardinals, steps into the box with runners on the corners and the game tied. Nevertheless, Kozma delivered the most unexpected clutch hit of the season and we probably have not had a more clutch hit since this point.

He lasers a single down the right field line to put the Cardinals ahead 9-7 to cap off a 4 run 9th to overcome the 6-0 deficit they were in. Pete Kozma is still booed every time he steps into the box in Washington no matter what team he plays for.

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