Ranking every World Series winners in history

By Staff | Nov 3, 2015

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) /

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ST. LOUIS, MO – OCTOBER 30: Manager Tony LaRussa of the St. Louis Cardinals participates in the World Series victory parade for the franchise’s 11th championship on October 30, 2011 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Szczepanski/Getty Images) /

109. 2011 St. Louis Cardinals

90-72, NL Wild Card, Won World Series 4-3 Over Texas

As the beneficiaries of one of the biggest late-season collapses in Major League history, the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals were 10.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League Wild Card standings on August 24. The Cardinals went 23-9 down the stretch, and passed the Braves on the final day of the regular season to narrowly sneak into the postseason.

Tony La Russa, managing in his final season, led St. Louis to a World Series by staving off elimination with a five-game upset over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, and followed a victory over the Milwaukee Brewers (who led the Cardinals in the division standings by six games) in the NLCS.

In the Fall Classic, the Cardinals were down to their final strike twice against the Texas Rangers, but David Freese hit a triple in the ninth inning of Game 6 to tie the game 7-7, and hit a walk-off home run to win it. The Cardinals won Game 7, 6-2, and La Russa earned his third world title before retiring days later.

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