The Pitch

             The pressure of closing out a game, getting out number 27, winning the game for your team in the ninth. Having composure to do that isn't easy especially in the MLB. The closing pitcher has so much to take in pitching with three outs to go and the game difference is four or less, and if it's four run difference some of the best three hitters need to be coming up in the line-up. 2006, the Cardinals were struggling to make the playoffs, but Albert Pujols hit a eighth inning three run home run to give the Cardinals the lead 4 games before the playoffs. The win helped them clinch there division but with only 83 wins and 78 loses. So not a lot of respect coming into the National League Division Series(NLDS). With the Cardinals closing pitcher Isringhausen injured they called on Adam Wainwright to be their go to guy. Wainwright pitched two saves in their first to games of the NLDS. Then they lost game 3 but came back in game four and Wainwright got the last out to send them to the National League Championship Series (NLCS). They lost game one but came back to win the next two games. They won game 5 but lost in game six in NY against the Mets, The National Leagues best team with 97 wins. So the Cardinals had to play game 7 of the NLCS on the Mets home turf. It had been 31 years since any team lost game 6 and came back to win game 7 on the other guys field. 11 clubs have tried, all of them failed. Cardinals starter Jeff Suppan and Mets starter Oliver Perz pitched amazing, but Suppan did give up a run in the bottom of the first inning but the Cardinals got the run back in the top of the second inning. So the game was just getting better tied 1-1 in game 7 of the NLCS, just amazing. So in the top of the sixth inning with Jim Edmonds on first base and Scott Rolen at the plate with one out he hits the ball back to the wall and left fielder Endy Chavez leaps and makes an unbelievable snow cone catch to rob Rolens home run then doubles Edmons up at first. It was like Chavez had super powers the way he jumped and caught it. Then in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded two outs and the man of the moment Endy Chavez stands up at the plate. I seemed like the universe was like " the Cardinals are going to lose everything they worked for," and almost everyone thought that but Suppan. He had a great pitch that he popped up to get the Cardinals out of the inning. No runs from then on. until in the top of the ninth inning when Rolen got a base hit with the catcher Yadier Molina at the plate. In the regular season he only hit .216. Terrible but when the Mets pitcher Aaron Heilman pitched to Molina he smacked hard into left field to the wall and this time it goes over Chavezes head for a home run. Cardinals up 3-1.
             The Cardinals called on Rookie Adam Wainwright to get them to the world series. Allowing two singles then getting two outs he walked catcher Paul LoDuca to bring up the most feared hitter in the Mets line up, Carlos Beltran. Beltran almost single handed, beat the Cardinals in the 2004 NLCS with the Astros. In 2006 Beltran had hit 41 home runs, 116 RBI's, batted .275, and slugged .594. With the bases loaded and two outs Wainwright and Molina agreed on fastball down and away but then they thought if he misses location and leaves it over the plate Carlos Beltran will kill that ball. So Molin taps his chest to kindof say, "folow me" and Wanwright says alright and Molina puts down changeup and Wainwright pitched it and Beltran took it for strike one. Everyone was baffled by that pich because one of baseballs old rules is you don't throw a first pitch changeup after all, what are you changing from. One of the announcers even called it a fastball. So with the 0-1 count they set up for a curveball out side but it broke two far inside but it had so much movement on it that Beltran swung and missed. Oh-and two. Waingetwright knew the ball would not get passed Molina if it broke to far down. With one strike to go Wainwright was like I'm going to throw the nastiest curveballs I've ever thrown if he hits hit I'll tip my cap if not were going to the World Series. He piched it and he was beautiful. It started way up high like at his head and dropped way low at his knees. It was the very way a crurveball should look but who could pitch such a pitch. So despite the runners on, despite the 0-2 count, and the chance to drive in the pennant winning run Beltran froze, and took the pitch. STRIKE THREE THE SAINT LOUIS CARDINALS HAVE WON THE PENNANT!!!!
             It was one of the greatest pitches anyone has ever seen, you can't blame Beltran for looking at it. Eight days later the Cardinals won the World Series and Wainwright on the mound but didn't pitch any amazing curveball. So the dream came true, the Saint Louis Cardinals won the World Series at home in game 5 with starter Jeff Weaver pitching. Most people Wainwright says, " Most people don't say anything about the world series it's man that pitch to Beltran." Many people thought that winning the world series with only winning 83 games was impossible, but not for the Cardinal fans or the STL. Cardinals.

First African American Baseball Player

             The first african american to play porfessional baseball was in Moses Fleetwood Walker. His first game was May 1, 1884. Many people thought Jackie Robinson was the first to play in the Major Leagues but, he wasn't. Jackie had his first game in 1947, 63 years after Moses started. Moses was born October 7 1856 in Mount Pleaseant, Ohio. He was recrutied by the university of Michigan to play varsity baseball in 1882. In 1881 Michigan did terrible esspecially catching the ball. In 1882 when Moses joined Michigan went 10-3 and Moses batted .308. When he went to the MLB he played on the Toledo Blue Stockings who joined the American Association which was Major League at the time. So on May 1, 1884 he was hitless and made four errors. He played a total of 42 games with a batting average of .263. Then his brother Welday Walker joined his team but only played six games. Moses Fleetwood Walker's debute was May 1, 1884, his last MLB apperance was September 4, 1884. The people drove him out of the game. Moses Fleetwood Walker died May 11, 1924 at the age of 67.

Figurative Language

             The Corvette zoomed by so fast it was almost like lightning. The man got out of his car and left the keys in it and the door wide open. I looked at it, so hard to resist. It seemed like the car was talking, "come on, just one ride, it wouldn't hurt, just for a minute." I left still looking, then I watched another hope in driving around the huge lot so fast turned hard then powerslided but fliped over and over. The man came out furiouse. I resisted the urge but that car is so cool!!!!