Jim Edmonds 2004 NLCS Game 6
Edmonds' walk-off home run in the NLCS against the Astros was one of the most clutch hits in Cardinal history, as this home run kept the Cardinals' season alive and forced a Game 7.
With the 2-3-2 format the MLB has for the Championship Series and World Series, Games 6 and 7 in this series were in St.Louis, as the Cardinals beat out the Houston Astros for the NL Central title that year. The home team won each of the first 5 games which had the Cardinals facing elimination and had the Astros one win away from their first-ever World Series appearance.
The Astros struck right away with a run in the first but the Cardinals answered with 2 of their own behind a 2 run homer by Albert Pujols. The Cardinals got 4 runs in less than 3 innings off of Astros starter Peter Munro and they had a 4-3 lead heading into the 9th inning. They were 1 out away from forcing a Game 7, but Jason Isringhausen gave up a game-tying single to Jeff Bagwell that made it 4-4. After a double steal, "Izzy" got Lance Berkman to strike out with 2 runners in scoring position to keep the game tied.
Game 6 went into extra innings, both teams went 1-2-3 in every half-inning until the bottom of the 12th, when Pujols drew a lead-off walk against Houston reliever Dan Miceli. After retiring Scott Rolen, Edmonds had his signature moment as a Cardinal, hitting a towering home run in the right center bullpen to force a Game 7. The pitch appeared to be above a strike zone but Edmonds was somehow able to get on top of the ball and drive it out for the walk-off win. The Cardinals would go on to win Game 7 as well and advance to the World Series.