ninth inning

In this July 5, 2011 file photo, Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel works in the ninth inning of a baseball game against Colorado Rockies, in Atlanta.

This World Series is going the distance. David Freese hit a game-tying triple in the ninth inning and then belted a solo homer in the 11th to give the Cardinals a 10-9 win over the Rangers.

Derek Holland pitched into the ninth inning, Mike Napoli belted a three-run homer and the Rangers beat the Cardinals 4-0 in Game 4 to even the the World Series at two games apiece.

Three blown ninth-inning leads. Two walkoff hits. And a pair of historical collapses. Joe Sheehan breaks down a night that saw the Rays and Cards improbably win the wild-card berths.

Alberto Gonzalez hit a go-ahead single in the ninth inning, Kyle Blanks had a two-run homer and the San Diego Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 7-5 on Tuesday night for their season-best fifth straight win.

Justin Morneau's bases-loaded single in the ninth inning gave the Minnesota Twins a 6-5 victory over the first-place Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night.

After loading the bases with none out in the ninth inning and coming up empty, the Los Angeles Dodgers were not going to be denied.

The New York Yankees were on the verge of leaving Boston with the division lead and a chance to salvage what had been a lost season against the Red Sox.

Then Mariano Rivera blew a save in the ninth inning, and David Ortiz started another rally in the 10th to give Boston a 3-2 victory and put the Red Sox back on top of the AL East.