World Series Game 7: Final: Cardinals 6, Rangers 2

By PAT BORZI

Live coverage and analysis of Game 7 of the World Series from Pat Borzi and other Times reporters and editors in St. Louis and beyond.
ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals, who were a strike away from losing the World Series on Thursday night, won it on Friday by beating the Texas Rangers, 6-2, in Game 7 at Busch Stadium.
David Murphy flied out to left for the final out, and the Cardinals players hugged and piled onto one another in small groups in the infield as red, white and blue confetti filled the air. It was the Cardinals’ 11th World Series title, and the team’s first since 2007.
St. Louis’ ace, Chris Carpenter, delivered for his team again, improving to 2-0 in the World Series and 4-0 in the postseason. Pitching on three days’ rest, Carpenter gave up two runs in the top of the first inning but settled down and shut out the Rangers before leaving after leaving after allowing a leadoff double in the seventh. The Rangers, who were twice a strike away from winning in Game 6, failed to produce a hit against four Cardinals relievers in the final three innings.
The Cardinals erased the Rangers’ early lead with David Freese’s two-run double in the bottom of the first, and took the lead on Allen Craig’s homer in the third. The Rangers blinked in the fifth, issuing a bases-loaded walk to force in a run and then following it by hitting the next batter to give the Cardinals a 5-2 lead.