3 HR Puts the Astros in the NLCS

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The NL Central. The best division in baseball? Well, how about the National League? The Cardinals and the Astros are in the NLCS for the second consecutive year, after the longest game in postseason history put the Astros into the NL finale. Lance Berkman, Brad Ausmus and Chris Burke all homered to bring the Astros from five runs down to win the game, in the bottom of the 18th, and get on the train to the League Championship Series.

Unreal game. Roger Clemens came in off the bench and got the win for the 'stros. He was the last pitcher available in the Houston bullpen. Amazing how this game went down.

Adam LaRoche hit a grand slam home run for the Braves in the top of the third off of starter Brandon Backe. The Braves led 6-1 leading into the bottom of the eighth. Then, the improbable happened. Unless you're a Cub fan, then you knew what could happen with Kyle Farnsworth on the mound. That would be an opposite field, line drive homerun by Lance Berkman to make the game 6-5. It was the first time both teams had hit a grand slam in the playoffs.

Then, in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, Brad Ausmus comes in and sends a shot into the Crawford Boxes to tie the game up at six. Things pretty muched stayed that way until the bottom of the 18th when Chris Burke, who pitch-ran for Berkman in the 10th, jacked a line drive into Crawfordsville as well and sent the fans into a fury and the Astros into the NLCS.

Rematch time. Can the Astros match up with their 2005 squad? Will the three Houston Aces hold down the Redbirds? Or will the Cardinal offense prove too much?

I can't wait to find out.

Gotta go. LAA/NYY in top of the third.

Later.

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