| Game 1: | Cardinals | 3 | Rangers | 2 |
| Game 2: | Cardinals | 1 | Rangers | 2 |
| Game 3: | Cardinals | 16 | Rangers | 7 |
| Game 4: | Cardinals | 0 | Rangers | 4 |
| Game 5: | Cardinals | 2 | Rangers | 4 |
| Game 6: | Cardinals | 10 | Rangers | 9 |
| Game 7: | Cardinals | 6 | Rangers | 2 |
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STARTING LINEUP |
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| Ryan Theriot | ss | had 20–game hitting streak |
| Jon Jay | cf | .297 average in 159 games |
| Albert Pujols | 1b | .299, 37 HRs, and 99 rbis |
| Matt Holliday | lf | 22 homers in 124 games |
| Lance Berkman | rf | .307 average with 31 HR |
| David Freese | 3b | 10 HR in 97 games |
| Yadier Molina | c | .305 BA, Gold Glove |
| Skip Schumaker | 2b | showed versatility in OF |
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PITCHERS |
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| Chris Carpenter | 11–9 | led NL in innings pitched |
| Jaime Garcia | 13–7 | 3.56 ERA |
| Kyle Lohse | 14–8 | 3.39 ERA, led staff |
| Jake Westbrook | 12–9 | 4.48 ERA in 33 starts |
| Edwin Jackson | 5–2 | 3.52 ERA after July trade |
| Kyle McClellan | 12–7 | 17 starts, 26 games in relief |
| Jason Motte | | 9 saves, all in last 31 days |
BENCH |
|---|
| Nick Punto | inf |
| Daniel Descalso | inf |
| Allen Craig | of |
| Rafael Furcal | ss |
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How the Cardinals Got to the World Series:
The 2011 St. Louis Cardinals made it to the World Series in a way that none of their predecessors had, as the National League Wild Card playoff qualifier. The Redbirds had finished the regular season in second place in the NL Central with a 90–72 record, six games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. Taking advantage of the tremendous collapse of the Atlanta Braves, who seemed virtually assured of the Wild Card spot before Labor Day, the Cardinals slipped by the Braves on the last night of the season. Building on the momentum of a 23–9 stretch drive over the last five weeks of the regular season, the Cardinals then upended both the NL East champ Philadelphia Phillies in the Divisional Series and the Brewers in the NL Championship Series to gain a berth in the World Series. In each series the Cardinals won the final two games, including the clinchers on the road.
The Cardinals' Series Opponent
The Texas Rangers, having lost the 2010 World Series to the San Francisco Giants, repeated as American League Champions in 2011. This season they had taken control of the AL West Division race with a twelve-game winning streak in July and had finished the regular season with a 19–6 September. In the playoffs they had beaten Tampa Bay three games to one, and Detroit four games to two. Manager Ron Washington's team had solid starting pitching and a fire-balling closer, but the team's most outstanding feature was a lineup that included five players with twenty-five or more home runs. Defying standard practices, Washington put Michael Young, a high-average, low-power hitter, in the cleanup spot in his order, and Young led the team with 106 RBIs and a .338 batting average despite hitting just 10 home runs.
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