Schedule and 2004 Results
Regular Season Records: St. Louis 105-57, Houston 92-70
Game 1 on Wednesday, 13 Oct: Houston loses at St. Louis, 10-runs-7
Game 2 on Thursday, 14 Oct: Houston loses at St. Louis, 6-runs-4
Game 3 on Saturday, 16 Oct: St. Louis loses at Houston, 5-runs-2
Game 4 on Sunday, 17 Oct: St. Louis loses at Houston, 6-runs-5
Game 5 on Monday, 18 Oct: St. Louis loses at Houston, 3-runs-nil
Game 6 on Wednesday, 20 Oct: Houston loses at St. Louis, 6-runs-4 (12 inn)
Game 7 on Thursday, 21 Oct: Houston loses at St. Louis, 5-runs-2

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 7: The St. Louis Cardinals hosted and defeated the Houston Astros 5-runs-2 in series 937 Game 7, thereby posting a 4-games-3 series 937 (2004 MLB Semifinals or National League Championship Series) victory. The Game 7 victory for the St. Louis Cardinals is their ninth in best-of-7 MLB playoff series history, which is an MLB high (in second place with six Game 7 wins: the New York Yankees). The series 937 victory improves the St. Louis Cardinals best-of-7 MLB playoff series record to 12-9 overall and 3-3 in the MLB Semifinals, while snapping a four-series best-of-7 losing streak. The series 937 loss drops the Houston Astros best-of-7 MLB playoff series record to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in the MLB Semifinals. The victory order for series 937, from the winning perspective, was WWLLLWW: Series 937 thus became the first MLB Semifinals series, the fourth MLB series (all round), and the 17th MLB/NBA/NHL series to follow such a win order. Series 937 is the first best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series in which the home team won every game.

After Game 6: Winning best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 937 Game 6 by a 6-runs-4 score in the bottom of the 12th inning, the St. Louis Cardinals on their home field evened series 937 at 3-games-all. With the victory, the St. Louis Cardinals improved their best-of-7 MLB playoff series Game 6 record to 8-8, while that for the Houston Astros fell to 0-2. Series 937 Game 7 will be the first Game 7 for the Houston Astros. The Game 7 record for the St. Louis Cardinals is 8-4 overall and 5-1 at home (those eight Game 7 wins are an MLB-high). In MLB/NBA/NHL Game 7s entering the Fall 2004 playoff season, the home team record was 170-78 (.685); in MLB Game 7s prior to Fall 2004, the home team record was 24-20 (.545). MLB/NBA/NHL teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals, with a win order of WWLLLW irrespective of site, had a 16-11 Game 7 record overall prior to the Fall 2004 playoff season, but are on a six-Game 7 winning streak. Previous MLB teams whose win order was LLWWWLW through a site order of VVHHHVV were the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, the 1956 New York Yankees, the 1965 Los Angeles Dodgers, and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates - all in the World Series. These four teams thus set a favorable precedent for the 2004 Houston Astros in series 937. Previous MLB teams whose win order was WWLLLWW through a site order of HHVVVHH were the 1987 Minnesota Twins (vs. the St. Louis Cardinals), the 1991 Minnesota Twins, and the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks - all again in the World Series. These three teams thus set a favorable precedent for the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals in series 937.

After Game 5: With a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to break a scoreless tie, the Houston Astros hosted and defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-runs-nil to take a 3-games-2 best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 937 lead. The win by Houston improves the Astros' best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 5 record to 1-1; the loss lowers St. Louis' best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 5 record to 6-14 (with what is now a four-Game 5 losing streak). The Houston Astros now lead a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-2 for the first time ever. Trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-2, the St. Louis Cardinals have a 5-1 series record and a 5-1 Game 6 record. With the series 937 win order now LLWWW and the site order now VVHHH from the Houston perspective, series 937 continues to mirror series 457 (the 1985 National League Championship Series) from the St. Louis Cardinals' perspective. Having won series 457 in six games, those 1985 St. Louis Cardinals set a favorable precedent for the 2004 Houston Astros (and against the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals). Series 937 Game 5 was only the sixth best-of-7 MLB playoff game (out of a total of 768 through Monday) to be scoreless through 8.5 innings. Series 937 Game 5 was only the second best-of-7 MLB playoff game to be scoreless through 8.5 innings and won in the bottom of the ninth inning: The first was series 76 (the 1949 World Series) Game 1, in which the New York Yankees hosted and defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 1-run-nil.

After Game 4: The Houston Astros hosted and defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-runs-5 to even best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 937 at 2-games-all. With the victory, Houston improves its best-of-7 Game 4 record to 2-0; with the loss, St. Louis sees its best-of-7 Game 4 record fall to 11-10. Through four games in series 937 thus far, the thirteen total first-inning runs are the most in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series since the 2000 National League Championship Series pitting St. Louis against the New York Mets. The 2000 Cardinals and Mets also posted thirteen first-inning runs in the first four games of the 2000 N.L.C.S. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series, the Houston Astros have a 0-1 series record, while that for St. Louis is 9-2.

After Game 3: The Houston Astros hosted and defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 5-runs-2 to halve the St. Louis MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 937 lead to 2-games-1. Prior to series 937 Game 3, the MLB St. Louis Cardinals had had the best Semifinals-round best-of-7 Game 3 franchise record in the MLB, NBA, and NHL, for both overall and road Game 3s: St. Louis' MLB Semifinals-round best-of-7 Game 3 record was a perfect 5-0 overall and 3-0 on the road (those numbers are now 5-1 and 3-1, respectively). With the Game 3 victory, Houston improves its best-of-7 Game 3 record to 1-1. When both win order and site order are considered, series 937 is following series 457 among best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series. In series 457, the Los Angeles Dodgers won Games 1-2 of their 1985 MLB Semifinals series vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at home, but then lost Game 3 on the road - the Dodgers would lose series 457 in six games. Thus, the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals set a favorable precedent for the 2004 Houston Astros in their series 937 battle vs. the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals. Also setting a favorable precedent for the 2004 Houston Astros are the only other team to trail a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series 2-games-nil but win the series - the 1985 Kansas City Royals. In fact, the 1985 Royals, the 1985 Cardinals, and the 2004 series 937 Astros are LLW @ VVH after three games of their respective MLB Semifinals series. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the Houston Astros have a series record of 0-1 and a Game 4 record of 1-0. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the St. Louis Cardinals have a series record of 7-3 and a Game 4 record of 5-5.

After Game 2: Taking a 2-games-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 937, the St. Louis Cardinals hosted and defeated the Houston Astros 6-runs-4. St. Louis thus improves its best-of-7 MLB playoffs Game 2 record to 10-11, while that for Houston falls to 0-2. Series 937 is only the second best-of-7 MLB playoff series in which the St. Louis Cardinals have taken a 2-games-nil series lead: The first series in which they did so was series 458 (the 1985 World Series), which they eventually lost to the Kansas City Royals in seven games. Series 937 is the first best-of-7 MLB playoff series in which the Houston Astros trailed 2-games-nil after two games. In the history of best-of-7 MLB playoff series, when a team wins Game 1 by three runs and Game 2 by two runs, its series record is 1-0 (with the sole precedent offered by the sweeping New York Giants in series 101 - the 1954 World Series). In best-of-7 MLB Semifinals (League Championship Series) history, teams winning Games 1-2 have a 13-2 series record with an active 13-series winning streak. In best-of-7 MLB history (all rounds), teams winning Games 1-2 at home are on an active 14-series winning streak. Both series 936 and 937 feature 2-games-nil leads after two games: Since MLB adopted the best-of-7 format for league Semifinals-round playoff games in 1985, only in 1985 and 1999 had both series featured 2-games-nil leads. In 1999, both the Atlanta Braves (series 796) and the New York Yankees (series 795) held 2-games-nil leads - both Atlanta and New York won their respective series. In 1985, both the Toronto Blue Jays (series 456) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (series 457) held 2-games-nil leads - both Toronto and Los Angeles, however, lost their respective series. Ironically, the team that defeated the Dodgers in 1985 was the St. Louis Cardinals: Those 1985 St. Louis Cardinals thus set a favorable precedent for the 2004 Houston Astros against the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis trailed Game 2 by a 3-runs-nil score after 4.5 innings: In the 758 best-of-7 format MLB playoff games prior to 2004, home teams down three runs after 4.5 innings had a game record of only 11-41 (.212). One of those eleven winners was the Minnesota Twins, in series 500 Game 6: The Twins trailed 5-runs-2 after 4.5 innings at home, but rallied to win 11-runs-5. Their opponent in that 1987 World Series game? The St. Louis Cardinals, which as an organization now know both sides of losing a three-run lead after 4.5 innings on the road.

After Game 1: Ending their best-of-7 home playoff lead-less streak at 50 1/3 innings, the St. Louis Cardinals staged a six-run sixth inning to defeat the visiting Houston Astros 10-runs-7. St. Louis thus takes a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 937. The ten-run Game 1 was the highest-scoring best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 1 ever for St. Louis in 21 such games (eclipsing their previous high of nine runs, set in Game 1 of the 1964 World Series vs. the New York Yankees). St. Louis' six-run sixth inning is the highest-scoring bottom of the sixth inning in best-of-7 MLB playoff games since 1982, when the Cardinals also posted a six-run sixth at home in World Series Game 6 vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. With the victory, the Cardinals break a four-Game 1 losing streak in best-of-7 MLB playoff series, begun in the 1987 World Series vs. the Minnesota Twins. The Houston Astros are now 1-1 in best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 1s. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 1-game-nil, the St. Louis Cardinals have a 4-2 series record in all rounds, a 1-0 series record in the MLB Semifinals, and a 1-5 Game 2 record. In the history of best-of-7 MLB playoff series from 1905 through 2003, when a team wins Game 1 by a three-run victory margin, its series record is 15-8 (.652).

Pre-series assessment: In the 2004 regular season, St. Louis finished 13 games ahead of Houston. From 1905 through 2003, when MLB teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by thirteen regular-season games, they have posted a 0-1 (.000) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents (the only precedent is offered by MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 498, in which the Detroit Tigers finished 13 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins but lost to Minnesota in five games in the 1987 American League Championship Series). From 1905 through 2003, when MLB teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by ten or more regular-season games, they have posted a 24-11 (.686) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 937 is the 21st best-of-7 playoff series for the St. Louis Cardinals, and the second for the Houston Astros. In best-of-7 playoff series, St. Louis has a 11-9 series record (with an active four-series losing streak), a 2-3 Semifinals-round series record, and a 6-14 Game 1 record, while Houston has a 0-1 series record, a 0-1 Semifinals-round record, and a 1-0 Game 1 record. Series 937 is the first best-of-7 meeting between Houston and St. Louis. Since series 721 in 1996, the St. Louis Cardinals have played five full consecutive best-of-7 format MLB playoff home games without having held so much as a single lead -- an MLB record for best-of-7 playoff home-field futility. Those five games were Game 5 of the 1996 National League Championship Series and Games 1-2 of both the 2000 and 2002 National League Championship Series. (In second place to the 1996-2002 St. Louis Cardinals -- each with four full consecutive best-of-7 format MLB playoff home games without a lead -- are the St. Louis Cardinals [Games 2, 6, and 7 of the 1968 World Series; Game 1 of the 1982 World Series], the Brooklyn Dodgers [Game 5 of the 1947 World Series; Games 3-5 of the 1949 World Series], and the Chicago Cubs [Game 3 of the 1918 World Series; Games 1-2 of the 1929 World Series; Game 3 of the 1932 World Series]).