MLB Playoffs 2015: Which Wild Card teams have won the World Series?

2011 – St. Louis Cardinals

As has come to be expected from the Fall Classic, fans come to witness the magic that is the World Series and the drama it brings with it. Say what you want about fall television, I’ll take the MLB postseason drama over it all.

The 2011 World Series was no different.

After making their way through the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers to advance to the World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals were presented with an interesting match-up against the Texas Rangers, a team making its second-consecutive World Series appearance.

After taking two of the first three games, the Cardinals proceeded to drop games four and five on the road in Arlington. The two teams had to endure a postponement for game six and both offenses came out firing. Texas would twice be one strike from putting the game away, only to watch David Freese to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth with a triple and then again in the 10th inning when Lance Berkman hit a tying single to send the game to the 11th. After the Rangers failed to score, it was again Freese who hit a walk-off home run to lead-off the 11th for St. Louis.

Game seven became a let-down once again for Texas. After scoring two in the top of the first, the Rangers would watch the Cardinals tie it in the bottom of the inning and then score four unanswered runs to win the game 6-2 behind ace Chris Carpenter.

The 2011 season would be the final one in which just one Wild Card team. Starting in 2012, Major League Baseball added a second Wild Card, both to help stir interest and to also create a handicap for Wild Card teams in the playoffs, making them play a win or go home game to advance to the Divisional Series.

Next: 2002 - Anaheim Angels