This is going to hurt to talk about but sadly it’s relevant. Not only has it been exactly 15 years since that ill fated night in St. Louis, but it also happens to be the longest World Series game the Texas Rangers have ever played.

Why is that relevant? Well, because the second-longest game in World Series history finally came to an end just short of 2 a.m. Texas time thanks to a walk-off home run by Freddie Freeman that sent the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 series lead over the Toronto Blue Jays.

All in all, Monday’s game lasted six hours and 39 minutes, which is over two hours LONGER than the Rangers-Cardinals Game 6 matchup back in 2011.

2011 Game 6 vs. 2025 Game 3

Before we start comparing the two, let’s get the similarities out of the way since there is some overlap between the two Fall Classic classics. For starters, the game ended in walk-off fashion and I guarantee are now considered among the greatest games in World Series history.

Well, that’s about it for the similarities. Fun, right? Now on to the differences.

Outside of Monday’s game between LA and Toronto lasting two hours and six minutes longer than that 2011 game in St. Louis, Monday also featured several history breaking moments. Not only did it join the very short list of World Series games to reach the 18-inning mark, the only other game to do so was a 2018 World Series game that was also held at Dodger Stadium.

Both teams also combined to use 19 pitchers, the most in any postseason games and a total of 609 pitches, 48 more than any postseason game since at least the turn of the century. Back in 2011, the Rangers and Cardinals only threw 393 pitches spread out among 11 total pitchers.

Of course, the Dodgers locked in an 18-inning showdown had to showcase history from Shohei Ohtani, who set a postseason record by reaching base nine times, including four extra-base hits (two of which were homers). His four intentional walks on Monday gave him eight for the postseason, tied for second-most with another name in the 2011 World Series, Albert Pujols.

These games also did have a hero. As did David Freese come up clutch twice for St. Louis, including the walk-off homer in the 11th inning. Freddie Freeman repeated his 2024 heroics by hitting the solo homer in the 18th to win it for LA.

Rangers’ had a familiar face in the Cardinals dugout during that game

On both sides there were baseball greats, either on the individual team side or some of the greatest baseball players in the history of the game.

David Freese, Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, Adrian Beltre, Yadier Molina, Nelson Cruz. Forget all those names because there is one more important. Skip Schumacker.

That’s right, the Rangers new skipper was a member of the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals during that epic World Series. In fact, the 31-year-old at the time started in centerfield for the Cardinals and went 1-for-3 with a run scored and saw seven pitches in those ABs. His one run came on a Lance Berkman two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning.

Of course, the Rangers were able to exercise those demons 13 years later to the day with Corey Seager’s game-tying homer and Adolis Garcia’s walk-off in game one of the 2023 World Series. A few days later, Texas defeated Arizona in five games to finally win their first World Series title.