Rolen’s moment sends Cardinals to World Series
The St. Louis Cardinals didn’t just want Scott Rolen – they believed in him.
After Rolen turned down a contract offer in Philadelphia and prepared to test free agency, St. Louis pounced. The Cardinals acquired the All-Star third baseman before the 2002 trade deadline, then proved their faith by signing him to an eight-year, $90 million extension.
Two years later, on Oct. 21, 2004, Rolen made it all worth it.
In Game 7 of the National League Championship Series, the Houston Astros led the Cardinals 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. With Roger Clemens – the soon-to-be-named 2004 NL Cy Young Award winner – on the mound, the Cardinals called on Roger Cedeño to pinch-hit to lead off the inning. Cedeño, who was 11-for-26 against Clemens in his career, slapped a single into center. Édgar Rentería moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and Larry Walker grounded out to advance Cedeño to third.
Then, with two-outs and two-strikes, Albert Pujols pulled a fastball into left field for a game-tying double.
Next came Rolen’s moment.
Never one to back down from a challenge, Rolen stepped in prepared. Throughout his career, he was known as a fierce competitor – one who challenged his teammates, opponents and managers in an effort to win.
“I was thinking about competition,” Rolen told the Associated Press. “I was thinking about Roger Clemens being on the mound. I was thinking he might beat me, but I wanted to go head-to-head right there.”
And he was ready.
“As I walked in, the last thought in my mind was, ‘You just lost,’” Rolen told MLB.com.
On the first pitch of the at-bat, Clemens attempted to quick-pitch a 93-mph fastball past the third baseman – the same pitch Pujols drilled for a double one batter earlier.
“I got in the box and he threw a ball that I, nine times out of 10, can’t handle,” Rolen told MLB.com. “First pitch, the ball was a fastball up and in, and I don’t handle that ball very well.”
But this one, he did.
The third baseman deposited the ball over the left field wall and sent the 52,140 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium into a frenzy.
“I squared the ball up on the barrel, and I knew as soon as I hit it that I had just won the game for the St. Louis Cardinals to send us to the World Series,” Rolen said. “As the ball came off my bat, I hit it and I knew at that time, ‘You lost. I just won the game for the St. Louis Cardinals to go to the World Series.’”
The Cardinals closed out Game 7 with a 5-2 win and clinched a spot in the Fall Classic against the Boston Red Sox. Rolen finished the series 9-for-29 (.310), with three home runs, six runs and six RBI.
“Rolen’s the perfect baseball player,” longtime manager Ned Yost told Sports Illustrated in 2004. “It’s his tenacity, his preparation, the way he plays. He tries to do everything fundamentally sound. And he puts the team first – there’s no fanfare with him.”
Noah Douglas was the 2025 communications intern in the Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Leadership Development
