Score and situation: Twice the Texas Rangers got within one strike of a championship, and twice the St. Louis Cardinals turned them back. David Freese tied the score in the ninth and won Game 6 of the World Series in the 11th with a home run, keeping the Cardinals alive with an epic 10-9 victory on Thursday night.

[World Series slideshow: Check out photos from thrilling Game 6]

Leading lads: Freese, who dropped a routine pop-up for an error earlier, hit a tying, two-run triple against Neftali Feliz with the Cardinals down to their last strike in the ninth. His solo home run in the 11th came against Mark Lowe. Baseball Reference reports it to be the eighth extra-inning, game-ending homer in Series history.

Also down to his last strike in the 10th, Lance Berkman tied the score with an RBI single.

Josh Hamilton, who had been struggling in the Series in part because of a sore groin, went 3 for 6, including a go-ahead home run against Jason Motte in the top of the 10th.

Head hangers:

Just because Major League Baseball honchos postponed the World Series until Thursday night doesn't mean fans must go another night without their favorite sport. It might not be Game 6 between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, but how about a little historical docudrama starring the great Jackie Robinson as ... himself?

Yep, "The Jackie Robinson Story" is a real movie that also stars real actors — although the gorgeous Ruby Dee (as the even more gorgeous Rachel Robinson) is the only one I've heard of. It was made in 1950, and it's a tad dated in some ways, but it means well. The Stew presents it now, free of charge. Welcome to Rain Delay Theatre:

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mo_russaThe St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers will get another day off before resuming the World Series.

With the chance of rain high for Busch Stadium on Wednesday night, Major League Baseball officials decided to postpone Game 6 until Thursday night. The choice was made around 2:30 p.m. St. Louis time, four and a half hours before the scheduled first pitch.

Though no rain was falling in the early afternoon when he met with MLB officials to decide the game's fate, Cards' GM John Mozeliak told 590 The Fan in St. Louis that the forecast doesn't look good and that the league would do what was best for fans.

"I also think it makes a lot of sense not to play if it's going to be sort of stop-and-go baseball and we're going to be pulling the tarp multiple times," Mozeliak said.

You might remember that Game 2 of the ALCS between the Tigers and Rangers was postponed hours ahead under similar circumstances in Texas and then it never ended up raining. But, like Mozeliak says, better to be safe than

theo_rickettsCHICAGO — The press conference looked and sounded much like other ones the Chicago Cubs have held inside of Wrigley Field. The hiring of Lou Piniella before the 2007 season comes to mind. But this one felt different. It had an air of competence.

After making a few missteps that left many fans wondering where his family's ownership of the Cubs was heading, Tom Ricketts scored in the biggest way possible by introducing Theo Epstein as the team's president of baseball operations.

"We wanted someone with a background in player development, a proven track record of success, someone who had a strong analytical background and someone who had experience in creating a culture of winning," Ricketts said.

Watch Theo talk

Epstein brings all of those things, which is why the city has been so excited at the prospect of him coming from Boston, where the Red Sox won two World Series with him in charge. But this also was a day to laud an owner for doing the right — even if it was obvious — thing.

napoli

Score and situation: The Texas Rangers took one more step toward their first World Series championship with a 4-2 victory in Game 5 against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.

Leading lads: Mike Napoli came through from the eighth spot in the order, lining a two-run double to break a 2-2 tie in the eighth. Chris Carpenter allowed a pair of solo homers — one to Adrian Beltre, the other to Mitch Moreland (not Nelson Cruz) — and not much else over seven innings.

Watch Napoli break the ties

Head hangers: The managers — Tony La Russa of St. Louis and Ron Washington of Texas — made curious decisions all night, most notably ones that involved the intentional walk. A World Series record six IBBs were issued, though both offenses rarely came close to cashing in. La Russa also kept left-hander Marc Rzepczynski in to face Napoli when righty Lance Lynn (or Jason Motte) was available. He also had some strange explanations as to what the problem was with the bullpen.

C.J. Wilson struggled

epstein_soriano

Perhaps the folks at Sports World, a souvenir and novelty shop across the street from the home-plate corner of Wrigley Field in Chicago, know something that most others do not about Theo Epstein coming to the Chicago Cubs. Is expensive slugger Alfonso Soriano part of the compensation package heading to the Boston Red Sox?

Only in the dreams of fiscally fed-up Cubs fans, right? And yet, on the eve of Epstein's formal introduction Tuesday morning as the team's president of baseball operations, Sports World is selling, for $184.95 (plus shipping and handling if you're not in Wrigleyville), an authentic Epstein home jersey with his name and the No. 12 on the back. {YSP:MORE}

theo_epstein_guitarNow, you're probably thinking: general manager/executive-types don't wear jerseys. They wear suits and golf shirts and pullover windbreakers and sweaters. Well, you're just going to have to suspend disbelief on that issue. Besides, Theo's not just a baseball executive; he's a rock star.

But what about this: The Cubs

Most of my childhood memories, as they relate to baseball, involve playing the song "Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" in my head. Today, it has become an anthem sung by many fans in different sports in order to taunt an opponent who is on his way out of the game. Fans at Rangers Ballpark have chanted it at the Cardinals during the World Series. But when I was a kid, it was mostly played at Chicago White Sox games by Comiskey Park organist Nancy Faust. And the fans sung along, to serenade a pitcher who's being pulled from a game, or to cheer a home run ("kiss it goodbye") hit by the South Side.

One of the song's main composers, Paul Leka, died Oct. 12, the New York Times reported Sunday. He was 68, his life shortened by lung cancer. He also wrote "Green Tambourine," a great hippie anthem from the late '60s. The Times' obit spins a neat tale of how "Na Na Hey Hey" came to be, but how the song transcended from the radio and 8-track players to stadiums should give White Sox fans a lot of

Derek Holland breathed a sigh of relief after pitching the game of his life Sunday night. Not only had he helped the Texas Rangers even the World Series with a special performance in a 4-0 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals, he reported that his family appreciated that he cleaned up his apartment for their stay in the Great Metroplex area.

Check out the "MTV Cribs"-style video jaunt over to La Casa de Holland, co-starring girlfriend Lauren and Holland's pet Boxer, named "Wrigley." (And lots of empty cups, beer bottles, Doritos bags ...):

So it's not just single sports writers who live that way! But wait. There's so much more. After the game, Holland sat down for a funny traditional interview with the MLB Network. {YSP:MORE}

Actually, most of Holland's interviews are funny, because that's just how he is. (And he might just be driving the Rangers' limo to a championship.) On MLBN, hosts Brian Kenney and Harold Reynolds pointed the conversation toward Holland's interaction with