Those who stayed up late on Friday night witnessed a most disappointing loss by the St. Louis Cardinals. A combination of intentional and unintentional walks by the Cards and Fernando Salas resulted in a walk-off win by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It is bad enough to lose a game in walk-off fashion, but for it to occur as the result of a base-on-balls has to be the worst of the worst.
I asked researcher Tom Orf how often this has occurred, both for and against St. Louis. It is a fairly rare occurrence. Specifically, a game-ending free pass was issued by Cardinals pitching 21 times in the last 60 years. Almost half – 10 of the 21 – occurred in extra innings. At least three were rain-shortened games, which could be eliminated from consideration.
Among the 19 Cardinals pitchers to share this unfortunate event are current team television commentators Al Hrabosky and Ricky Horton. Larry Jackson walked in the game-winner twice in the span of just three weeks in 1958, though one was relatively harmless. Nelson Briles also did it two times, both in painful fashion, especially a wild pitch walk with a runner on third that ended a 1967 contest. It even happened to the greats. Bob Gibson did it once, early in his Hall of Fame career.
St. Louis Cardinals pitching, final play walk issued, 1952-current
| Date | Pitcher | Opp | Batter | Score | Inn | RoB | Out | Pit(cnt) | RBI | Play Description |
| 6/14/1958 | Larry Jackson | MLN | Del Crandall | ahead 2-1 | t7 | -23 | 1 | 0 | *ENDED GAME*:Intentional Walk | |
| 7/5/1958 | Larry Jackson | @SFG | Willie Kirkland | tied 4-4 | b9 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Speake Scores; Spencer to 3B; Wagner to 2B | |
| 4/13/1961 | Lindy McDaniel | @MLN | Mel Roach | tied 4-4 | b11 | 123 | 0 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Bolling Scores; Adcock to 3B; McMillan to 2B | |
| 1961-06-20 (1) | Bob Miller | @CIN | Don Blasingame | tied 3-3 | b11 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Robinson Scores; Coleman to 3B; Zimmerman to 2B | |
| 7/27/1961 | Bob Gibson | @CHC | Bob Will | tied 2-2 | b9 | 123 | 0 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Altman Scores; Williams to 3B; Taylor to 2B | |
| 4/17/1964 | Ron Taylor | @SFG | Chuck Hiller | tied 4-4 | b10 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Davenport Scores; Hart to 3B; Crandall to 2B | |
| 5/8/1965 | Nelson Briles | @PHI | Pat Corrales | tied 8-8 | b11 | 123 | 2 | 4 (3-0) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Callison Scores; Stuart to 3B; Gonzalez to 2B |
| 1967-07-02 (1) | Nelson Briles | @NYM | Tommie Reynolds | tied 4-4 | b9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk, Wild Pitch; Harrelson Scores/No RBI/unER | |
| 7/7/1970 | Sal Campisi | @NYM | Ron Swoboda | tied 3-3 | b9 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Weis Scores; Harrelson to 3B; Singleton to 2B | |
| 7/31/1971 | Moe Drabowsky | @PHI | Bobby Pfeil | tied 4-4 | b16 | 123 | 2 | 5 (3-1) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Harmon Scores; Montanez to 3B; Stone to 2B |
| 5/23/1976 | Al Hrabosky | @PHI | Larry Bowa | tied 2-2 | b11 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Boone Scores; Allen to 3B; Cash to 2B | |
| 5/28/1978 | Mark Littell | CHC | Manny Trillo | down 0-2 | t6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk | |
| 7/26/1980 | John Urrea | @SDP | Paul Dade | tied 3-3 | b11 | 123 | 1 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Mumphrey Scores; Montanez to 3B; Tenace to 2B | |
| 4/11/1985 | Neil Allen | @NYM | Danny Heep | tied 1-1 | b11 | 123 | 0 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Hernandez Scores; Carter to 3B; Foster to 2B | |
| 8/28/1985 | Ricky Horton | @CIN | Pete Rose | tied 6-6 | b12 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Concepcion Scores; Van Gorder to 3B; Perez to 2B | |
| 9/13/1989 | Jose DeLeon | PIT | John Cangelosi | tied 0-0 | t6 | -2- | 1 | 5 (3-1) | 0 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk |
| 4/1/1997 | Tony Fossas | @MON | Sherman Obando | tied 1-1 | b9 | 123 | 1 | 6 (3-2) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Rodriguez Scores; Segui to 3B; Stankiewicz to 2B |
| 4/12/1998 | John Frascatore | @SFG | Bill Mueller | tied 1-1 | b9 | 123 | 2 | 4 (3-0) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Diaz Scores; Hayes to 3B; Hamilton to 2B |
| 6/2/2005 | Randy Flores | @COL | Brad Hawpe | tied 7-7 | b9 | 123 | 0 | 5 (3-1) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Relaford Scores; Helton to 3B; Holliday to 2B |
| 6/26/2008 | Mike Parisi | @DET | Clete Thomas | tied 2-2 | b10 | 123 | 2 | 7 (3-2) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Granderson Scores; Guillen to 3B; Cabrera to 2B |
| 5/18/2012 | Fernando Salas | @LAD | A.J. Ellis | tied 5-5 | b9 | 123 | 1 | 4 (3-0) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Herrera Scores; Kennedy to 3B; Loney to 2B |
On the other, positive, side of the ledger, during the last 60 years, the Cardinals have been the recipient of a free pass on the final play of the game just slightly more often – 22 times. One of those contests should probably be thrown out as it was the final play of a 7-0 rain-shortened win in 1985.
This play seems to be an increasingly-rare occurrence, happening just three times in favor of the Cards during the 16-year reign of Tony La Russa. The most recent such case was not all that recent. In fact, it was back when the current manager, Mike Matheny, was still an active player.
The catcher ended an April 2004 Cubs contest by drawing a bases-loaded walk against LaTroy Hawkins, which scored Albert Pujols. Hawkins, still active today, is now Pujols’ teammate with the Angels.
Since then, the Cardinals have suffered three walk-off walk losses, including Friday night. Matheny earned an assist, ordering an intentional base on balls prior to Salas’ unintentional walk to A.J. Ellis that ended it.
St. Louis Cardinals hitters, final play walk received, 1952-current
| Date | Batter | Opp | Pitcher | Score | Inn | RoB | Out | Pit(cnt) | RBI | Play Description |
| 7/17/1952 | Enos Slaughter | NYG | Max Lanier | tied 2-2 | b9 | 123 | 1 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Glaviano Scores; Schoendienst to 3B; Musial to 2B | |
| 1958-07-25 (1) | Ken Boyer | CIN | Don Newcombe | tied 4-4 | b9 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Kasko Scores; Cunningham to 3B; Noren to 2B | |
| 5/2/1960 | Carl Sawatski | PIT | Roy Face | tied 3-3 | b9 | 123 | 0 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Flood Scores; Spencer to 3B; Wagner to 2B | |
| 4/29/1964 | Jeoff Long | NYM | Larry Bearnarth | tied 3-3 | b11 | 123 | 1 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Boyer Scores; McCarver to 3B; Javier to 2B | |
| 4/21/1969 | Tim McCarver | MON | Dan McGinn | tied 4-4 | b9 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Javier Scores; Torre to 3B; Shannon to 2B | |
| 10/2/1969 | Curt Flood | PHI | Grant Jackson | tied 2-2 | b12 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; DaVanon Scores; Gibson to 3B; Brock to 2B | |
| 8/12/1970 | Carl Taylor | SDP | Ron Willis | tied 4-4 | b14 | 123 | 1 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Maxvill Scores; Gibson to 3B; Lee to 2B | |
| 8/29/1971 | Ted Sizemore | CIN | Clay Carroll | tied 3-3 | b11 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Melendez Scores; Maxvill to 3B; Kubiak to 2B | |
| 9/1/1976 | Don Kessinger | CIN | Rawly Eastwick | tied 0-0 | b11 | 123 | 2 | 4 (3-0) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Hernandez Scores; Simmons to 3B; Chant to 2B |
| 5/3/1981 | Darrell Porter | CIN | Tom Hume | tied 4-4 | b11 | 123 | 2 | 4 (3-0) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Scott Scores; Hernandez to 3B; Hendrick to 2B |
| 1985-08-15 (2) | Ozzie Smith | PIT | Larry McWilliams | tied 3-3 | b12 | 123 | 2 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Clark Scores; Van Slyke to 3B; Harper to 2B | |
| 8/24/1985 | Andy Van Slyke | @ATL | Rick Camp | ahead 0-7 | t6 | -2- | 1 | 0 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk | |
| 9/15/1986 | Curt Ford | NYM | Roger McDowell | tied 0-0 | b13 | 123 | 1 | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; McGee Scores; Morris to 3B; Pendleton to 2B | |
| 5/24/1988 | Jose Oquendo | CIN | John Franco | tied 2-2 | b11 | 123 | 2 | 5 (3-1) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Pena Scores; Horner to 3B; Alicea to 2B |
| 8/6/1989 | Joe Magrane | PHI | Jeff Parrett | tied 4-4 | b10 | 123 | 2 | 6 (3-2) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Brunansky Scores; Oquendo to 3B; Walling to 2B |
| 5/12/1990 | Todd Zeile | ATL | Joe Boever | tied 3-3 | b10 | 123 | 1 | 6 (3-2) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Coleman Scores/unER; Pendleton to 3B; Collins to 2B |
| 7/20/1991 | Bernard Gilkey | ATL | Mike Stanton | tied 1-1 | b9 | 123 | 2 | 4 (3-0) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Jose Scores; Pagnozzi to 3B; Wilson to 2B |
| 8/2/1991 | Bernard Gilkey | PIT | Stan Belinda | tied 3-3 | b9 | 123 | 1 | 7 (3-2) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Pena Scores; Zeile to 3B; Jose to 2B |
| 5/6/1994 | Terry McGriff | NYM | John Franco | tied 2-2 | b9 | 123 | 2 | 5 (3-1) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Whiten Scores; Jordan to 3B; Perry to 2B |
| 5/30/1997 | Delino DeShields | LAD | Mark Guthrie | tied 1-1 | b9 | 123 | 2 | 4 (3-0) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Sweeney Scores; Clayton to 3B; McGee to 2B |
| 7/3/1999 | Mark McGwire | ARI | Vicente Padilla | tied 1-1 | b10 | 123 | 2 | 4 (3-0) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Bragg Scores; Renteria to 3B; Drew to 2B |
| 4/30/2004 | Mike Matheny | CHC | LaTroy Hawkins | tied 3-3 | b9 | 123 | 2 | 6 (3-2) | 1 | *ENDED GAME*:Walk; Pujols Scores; Edmonds to 3B; Renteria to 2B |
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