Heading into the final regular season day of the 2011 MLB season, two playoff spots still needed to be determined. Four teams, the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Rays, were in the race for the final two berths. The night began with the Yankees visiting the Rays. The Yankees took an early 5-0 lead in the second inning, but three innings later their lead was up to seven. At the same time, Boston held a 3-2 lead in Baltimore, putting the Rays in a near-elimination situation. The tide quickly turned when Tampa Bay star Evan Longoria hit his first home run of the night, a three run shot to left. The Rays finished with six runs in the inning and were within a run of their division rival's once seven-run lead. As the top of the ninth began, the Rays sent out pitcher Joel Peralta, who held the Yankees to a three-and-out inning. The game was still in reach for the Rays as the bottom of the ninth began. Pinch Hitter Dan Johnson took advantage of the situation, hitting his second home run of the season to tie the game up at seven and send the game to extras.
At this point, the Red Sox and Orioles were set to resume a rain delay that lasted an hour and twenty-six minutes, but the excitement was yet to be seen. The Red Sox brought in longtime Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon in the bottom of the ninth to finish off the Orioles. They were within an out of accomplishing the task, when Baltimore struck gold with two straight doubles and a single, scoring two Baltimore runs. Papelbon recieved credit for the loss as Baltimore stole the season finale 4-3. Moments later in Tampa, Evan Longoria hit a 12th inning walk-off home run to give Tampa a steller 8-7 victory and the final playoff spot in the American League. With Tampa's victory, the Red Sox were officially eliminated from playoff contention, even though they held a nine game lead in the Wild Card standings at the start of September.
In the National League, the Braves and Cardinals were fighting for the final National League playoff berth. The Braves and Phillies began the night an hour prior to the Cardinals-Astros game, so Atlanta fans were expecting to be the National League game-watchers of the night. Even with a ninth inning 3-2 lead in hand, this would not happen as Braves' closer Kimbrel gave up the game-tying run and the game was off to extras. The Cardinals, on the other hand, became the NL game-watchers after shuting out the Astros and Chris Carpenter's complete game. After the Phillies got out of an Atlanta first and third in the bottom of the twelfth, Hunter Pence hit the game-winning RBI to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead in the thirteenth. Atlanta was unable to respond in the bottom half of the inning and St. Louis won the National League Wild Card. The Rays and Cardinals became two of the biggest surprises of the baseball season after their nine and eight-and-a-half game deficits in the Wild Card standings at the start of the month. The MLB playoffs should once again be a joy to watch after the incredible night in the Majors last night.
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