The St. Louis Cardinals 2005 season was the team's 124th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 114th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 100–62 during the season and won the National League Central by 11 games over the NL Wild-Card Champion and eventual NL Champion Houston Astros. In the playoffs the Cardinals swept the San Diego Padres 3 games to 0 in the NLDS. However, the Cardinals lost to the Astros 4 games to 2 in the NLCS.
The season was the last one played in Busch Memorial Stadium by the Cardinals and they moved to the new Busch Stadium the next year. The Cardinals also moved their radio broadcasts from KMOX after a 55-year affiliation to KTRS after the season. After the 2010 season, the Cardinals would move their radio broadcasts from KTRS back to KMOX, starting in 2011.
First baseman Albert Pujols won the MVP Award this year, batting .330, with 41 home runs and 117 RBIs. Chris Carpenter won the Cy Young Award this year, with a 2.83 ERA, 21 wins, and 213 strikeouts. Outfielder Jim Edmonds won a Gold Glove this year. The Cardinals pitching staff led Major League Baseball by having the lowest (ERA) (3.49), conceding the fewest earned runs (560) and pitching the most complete games (15).[1]
A herniated disc in Larry Walker's neck prevented him from turning his head to the left. He received a second cortisone shot to alleviate the pain on June 27. With eight previous surgeries and now playing with pain that impeded his ability to continue to produce at a high level, he signaled that he would retire from playing after the season. He had $12 million team option for 2006.[4]
On August 4, the Cardinals announced that they had bought a 50% share of KTRS 550 AM and was leaving the longtime flagship station KMOX 1120 AM after 52 years and transferring the games to KTRS in 2006.
The Cardinals clinched their fifth National League Central division title in six years on September 17 when they beat the Cubs 5-1. The final regular season game at Busch Memorial Stadium took place on October 2, a 7-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Rookie Chris Duncan hit the final regular season home run at that version of Busch Stadium.
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
St. Louis wins series, 3-0.
Down to their last out and strike and facing elimination in game 5 of the 2005 National League Championship Series, David Eckstein hit a single in the hole on the left side off of the Astros' Brad Lidge to bring the tying run to the plate. The next batter, Jim Edmonds, worked a base on balls. Albert Pujols followed with a 412-foot home run onto the train tracks behind left field (had the game been played with the roof open, the drive would have exited Minute Maid Park, as it first hit off the glass wall which forms part of the roof),[citation needed] to put the Cardinals ahead 5–4. The roar of the crowd, anticipating the end of the game that would signal the Astros' entrance into the World Series, was hushed as they watched Pujols' home run (one of the announcers described it as a "vacuum" from the sudden intake of air by the crowd). Houston was then shut down in the bottom of the 9th by the Cardinals' closer Jason Isringhausen to preserve the win, guaranteeing at least one more game at old Busch Stadium. However, the Astros dominated Game 6, shutting the Cardinals down 5–1 for their first berth in the World Series in franchise history. Walker struck out in the ninth inning, his final major league at bat. He retired shortly after the game.[6]
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Palm Beach[7][8]