2005 NLCS (Cardinals @ Astros) Game Five 

The cardinals sure know how to ruin Nolan Ryan's day. Lol.

3:16:28 - This was the moment embedded in my mind for years and I've never been able to find it until I found this video of the entire game. I just LOVE watching Andy Pettitte with total disbelief on his face saying, "Oh my God...." as Pujols homer goes into orbit. It just gives me such a thrill!

That home run was one of the most bad ass moments in sports. It’s forgotten because St Louis lost game 6. To be able to hammer the ball like that in that moment, incredible

Pujols from 2002-2011 was as good as anyone who ever played

This is the greatest crowd silencer of all-time. Hats off to Eckstein and Edmonds for setting the table.

Sure gonna miss this rivalry. Although it was overshadowed by the Yankees and Red Sox in the early 00’s.

Lifelong Cardinals fan.. and although we lost this series.. and although we won 2 world series after this... this is still my absolute #1 moment as a sports fan. Before Albert hit that homerun everything felt so helpless. Lidge had been lights out ALL SEASON and you can see he was lights out to start the inning. I had forgotten about the gutsy single by Eckstein and the patient walk by Edmonds. I will never forget that homerun though and specifically the sight of the ball so far and away above the stands. This ruined Lidge’s prime. He bounced back later with the Phillies but he was never the same.

The most nostalgic thing about this is all the commercials

3:10:55 - Best call from Thom Brennaman: 0-1 to Pujols...In the air....left field! And Pujols has given St. Louis the lead!! A dramatic, towering, three-run home run!! Stunned in disbelief here in Houston! You can hear that bat *Smack* silenced the Houston crowd..

Berkman had to go to St. Louis to win a WS, been part of the improbable run to the title in 2011, baseball is amazing

I'll never forget this game. My wife and I at our first apartment soon after we got married, she fell asleep on the couch and I scared the crap out of her when Pujols hit that home run.

One of the best games I have ever seen. Pujols is such a beast!

This is a forgotten Classic!

Man I remember this game.. I was yelling at the TV.. WALK HIM OR JUST THROW SLIDERS IN THE DIRT.. WHATEVER YOU DO DONT GIVE HIM ANYTHING OVER THE PLATE! aaaaannnnnnnddddddd..... shot through the heart

Albert Pujols' 3 Run Homer Silences Houston & Puts Cards Back On Top. 3:10:52

Old broadcast with old commercials! This video is a literal Time Machine.

The Lesson From The 2005 NLCS Game 5 Is... Never Name The Chevy Player Of The Game To A Player From A LOSING Team, EVER!!!!!

Astros won this series in 6 games, but yet this NLCS is mostly remembered for the Pujols home run

That shot was one of the ultimate fuck you moments in sports. Imagine being a fan in left field and having that ball go over your head and it just started coming down. Like, the ball was still rising when it went over the fence.

This specific game and moment is one of my all-time favs in a history of watching sports. Doesn't matter what happened in Game 7. Hell, I'm not a fan of either team even, I just like baseball! It's just because I said to my friend after two outs (we were cheering for the Cards this particular night) "we just need Eckstein to do some Eckstein thing, then we have Edmonds, a great .OBP guy, then if that can happen we have a CHANCE with one of the greatest of all time." I truly did say that. Out loud. And then Eckstein got the most Ecksteiny soft grounder single one can imagine. And Edmonds stepped up. And even he made it hard; how do you lean away from that 1-1 pitch? Step right into it my man!! But anyway, true to form, the magnificent Jim Edmonds drew a walk. And up came Albert Pujols. One of the very truly greatest players in the 130 year history of professional baseball. And proceeded to hit a ball that will live forever in my memory. Forever. And I have seen a lot of baseball and a lot of sports. Again, they lost the series? Who cares. Then the White Sox swept the Astros. Water under the bridge. In 50 years we won't even remember who beat who in the 2005 World Series. But we'll always remember this moment! Always.

Pujols said afterwards. "I couldnt hear anything while at bat, but when running around the bases it was so quiet I could hear my foot steps hitting the ground." Thank God the Astros won this thing or Lidge might have done bad things to himself.

Cardinals liked to torture Nolan Ryan. At 3:11:17, he had that same look during Game 6 of the 2011 World Series sitting in the stands at Busch Stadium wearing a Rangers jacket

Love that shot of Albert in the dugout during Rodriguez’s at bat in the 9th. Pure zonal determination.

The collective dreadful sigh by the crowd, rightfully so after ball 4 to Edmonds in the 9th. Knowing Pujols could/did win the game with 1 swing!

I miss the Cardinals-Astros rivalry before they moved to the AL, before Chris Correa/Jeff Luhnow feud and logging in fiasco. It was always respectful and exciting. Nowadays with social media, things seem so angry and trollish.

3:05:50. "They're ready for a big bash tonight" How prophetic!! Pujols provided it just a few minutes later.

I got married in May of 2005. During this game, my wife had fallen asleep on the couch. As the top of the 9th wore on, I ended up on the floor. When Pujols uncoiled on that HR, I lost my mind. Jumping around our little 900 square foot home, trying not to wake my wife. I couldn't hold it in and eventually yelled about it. I was breathing kind of heavy after all the excitement. My wife woke up, looked at me with an annoyed face, and said one of the funniest things I've ever heard: "Well, it looks like you've had your sex for the night." Then she went to bed. 😆😆😆

I watched this game live..and this was my introdution to Albert Pujols. Instantly became a fan of him after this game. Now he's 4th on the all time homerun list!!!

Cardinals underperformed massively in this series but all bets all off vs a rival, and the stro's came so close the previous year! This is one of those great moments that was all for not unfortunately

You're doin the lords work thank you

One of the BADDEST ASS moments in Cards history!!! Yes I know what happened after I do not care

Pujols should be in prison. He absolutely murdered that ball. That never gets old!

The Man. The Legend. This was Pujols at his finest!

2022: Brad Lidge is still seeing a shrink

Down by 2 scores, one strike away against the best closer in the league that season and they managed to win the game. I have never seen a quicker turnaround in a sporting event in my entire life

Those were the days my friend. Hated to see them end.

Albert Pujols Turned Minute Maid Park From A Noisy Asylum With Fans Ready To Party To One Of The Most Peaceful & Quiet Ocean Sounds... In Terms Of The Crowd By The Way.

Was praying to the baseball gods and prayers answered.. @ least for this year's series game. Oh what sweet memories... King Albert!!

Ugh this series practically gives me PTSD with the exception of the Pujols homerun. The Astros fans were so loud and obnoxious, they kept closing the roof to amplify the crowd noise, the awful bee buzzing sound, and the announcers were so biased towards the Astros, ugh just terrible.

Now we got us a ring thanks for the memories Astros....😂oh and Pujols the Astros killer 😂we spent 1 yr away from him now were both in the AL west😂

There are VERY FEW cards moments I've watched as many times as this one Stan the Man's eulogy by Costas maybe more

The game that broke Brad Lidge

My gosh, one out away, one strike away, with the light-hitting Eckstein, and then disaster

3:25 - A-Rod cheated? No way!

Two outs and nobody on. Holy smokes.

Rumor has it.. that ball still hasn’t landed yet 🤘🏼

Pujols 700 HR brought me here

3:10:55 BALL GO FAR ⚾🎯🔭🔬🔎😱😯😦

If I remember correctly - as dominant as Lidge was in the '04 series, Pujols hit a flyout to the warning track on either a check-swing or a one-armed flail against him in the 9th inning of G4. Lidge was also shaky in this series in both G3 and G4's ninth innings so it was just a matter of time before Pujols or someone finally got to him.

This game represents houston sports in a nutshell

Pujols put that on the train tracks.

I want the Astros to use these unis today one day

Still remember the silent that Pujols made at bottom9. Hope the festival destroyer joins new team asap.

3:11:59 This is how i will remember Tony

How far was Pujols' home run? 450 feet?

2:52:02 As of the end of the 2023 season, out of all those teams, Rangers - Astros - Nationals, have all won a WS title Rockies - Rays , both have been to the WS but not win it. Mariners have not been to the WS (came close in 1995-2000-2001)

Ive always wanted to listen to the ESPN radio call to the Pujols home run, and to the Astros radio call (if there is one)

2:52:02 As of the end of the 2022 season Mariners have still not made the WS as of the end of the 2022 season. Made ALCS in 1995-2000-2001, but lost to Cleveland-Yankees-Yankees. Astros made WS in 2005 (Lost to WSOX), 2017 (beat Dodgers), 2019 (lost to Nationals), 2021 (lost to Braves), and 2022 (beat Phillies) Rockies madeWs in 2007 (Lost to RSOX) Rays made WS in 2008 (Lost to Phillies) and 2020 (lost to Dodgers) Rangers made WS in 2010 and 2011 (Lost to Giants and Cards). Nationals/Expos WS in 2019 (beat the Astros). Came close to making it in 1981 (lost to Phillies in NLCS) and the 1994 strike season

I'm pretty sure everybody had 1986 ALCS in their minds after this game.

Lmaoo that Chevy player of the game was a little premature huh

Les informo que la pelota del Homerun de Pujols cayó justo este año 2019 😄

RIP Brad Lidge...

Great come back for St.Louis

Ive always wondered who would have started for the Cardinals in game 7 if there was one = Morris on normal rest or Suppan on short rest. Suppan started game 7 at home against the Astros in 2004 and game 7 against the Mets in 2006

In this situation, would you rather pitch to Pujols, or walk him intentionally--even if it means putting the tying run in scoring position--and pitch to Sanders. True, Sanders had 10 RBIs in the NLDS, but Pujols is more dangerous--and we know he won MVP that year.

3:10:54 the Pujols home run

after brad lidge coughs up the lead to pujols, in the bottom of the 9th altuve hits a walkoff 2run homer off cards closer aroldis chapman to send the astros to the world series

Lidge almost blew the saves in both game 3 and game 4 as well

Honestly they wouldn’t even be in that position in any other ballpark in the city. That Berkman homerun is like they said, a routine fly ball and second out in any other ball park. Saying both teams have it, okay that’s fine, but Lance was such a good hitter that he knew how to pull fastballs over into those Crawford boxes or w.e. He had been doing it all season, and had the practice to pull easier homeruns. 338 feet?

3:10:47 was the moment that shocked everyone when Albert hit that 3 run homerun

3:16:31 Andy Pettite's reaction to the dinger

Brad lidge mistake was not bouncing that second breaking ball! pujols was so wired he was going to swing at anything close enough

I was at the game and tried to follow the ball and see where it landed, but I lost it in a cloud.

Even tho Astros won 2017 WS this game still hurts when Albert Puijols hit that 3 run home run

They picked the player of the game too soon 🤣

Surprised they didn't walk pujols

Did "player of the game" change? Sincerely- CARDS FAN

3:10:40 oh you saw a slider alright Bob...

I remember that day jumping on my bed with my wife and then😮😮😮😮

3:10:54 Rumor has it that the ball still hasnt come down yet.

I was at this game when they didn't walk Pujols to get Sanders I was furious! When he hit that ball the place was so quiet you could hear a mouse fart. YOU DON'T PITCH TO PUJOLS IN THE CLUTCH!

Lance Berkman's 3 Run Homer Puts Houston In The Lead. 2:34:45

ALBERT WINNNE THE PUJOLS. THE MACHINE!!!!!!

3:10:54 Jorge Soler said hold my beer

STILL hasn't landed.

Pujos was that guy

Ball still hasn’t landed yet

3:04:30 Biggio knew who was in the hole

the at-bat we all came for: 3:10:10

I'm just here for 3:10:50 😂

3:10:56

Back when the Astros didn’t need a trash can.

Man, these announcers just prove how terrible Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are.

Astros made it to WS anyway

This ended Brad Lidge’s career

3:10:20