The Cardinals began their unlikely run for the wild card spot about the time they swept the Brewers in Miller Park at the end of August.

Now they are back in Milwaukee, playing Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. And while they knew they could have another chance Monday, if necessary, their focus was on Sunday.

“One of the neatest things about what's happened to our club from whenever we started smelling a chance to get into the eight-game playoffs,” manager Tony La Russa said, “was we took the attitude that tomorrow is the last game of our lives, which means you don't think about anything beyond that.” (MORE>>>)

Everyone is going to be talking about Detroit's big inning on Thursday and the fortuitous bounce that probably saved their season for at least another day.

But it is what happened in the top half of that inning that really allowed the Tigers to head back to Arlington for a Game 6 and, of course, they have their future American League Cy Young Award winning right-hander Justin Verlander to thank for it.
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10-07-2011: The man of many personas, Nyjer Morgan, flitted from euphoria to sadness in the aftermath of the most important hit of his career.

Morgan’s ground single through the middle delivered Carlos Gomez from second base in the 10th inning Friday, enabling Milwaukee to overcome closer John Axford’s first blown save in six months and eliminate Arizona, 3-2, in Game 5 of the teams’ National League division series.

After Morgan ran around the field, traded his batting helmet for one that read T Plush (after Tony Plush, one of his three alter egos) and accepted Champagne and beer baths from teammates, he walked to an unoccupied place in the clubhouse, sat cross-legged on the floor and began to cry. (MORE>>>)