Three memorable aspects of the Cardinals 2013 season

It's hard to believe, but over 10 years have gone by since the Cardinals last reached the World Series.

The 2013 season was truly a memorable one for the Cardinals. That year, they won 97 games on their way to their first NL Central title since 2009, coming out on top in a three-team race where all three NL Central powerhouses reached the postseason.

They faced off against the Pirates in the NLDS, battling back from a 2-1 deficit to eliminate their division rivals and advance to the NLCS.

There, the Cardinals would match up against the Dodgers, who they defeated in a six-game thriller. They took the first two games of the series at home before letting the Dodgers back into the series.

But in Game 6, they took it right to Clayton Kershaw, eliminating the Dodgers with a resounding 9-0 win.

Their final test was the Red Sox, who had been a surprise contender after finishing in last place the previous year. The team was also galvanized after the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15, as the City of Boston and all Red Sox fans rallied behind them.

The Cardinals lost Game 1, but bounced back in Game 2 and ended up taking a 2-1 lead in the series. But Boston showed tremendous fight, coming back late to win Game 4 and picking off Kolten Wong to end the game. They won Game 5 in St. Louis and defeated the Cardinals in Game 6 to cap off the series.

The Cardinals couldn't stop David Ortiz, but the 2013 season was memorable nonetheless.

Here are three things that stand out about that season.