This Day in Cardinals History: Botched Infield Fly Call Helps Seal Victory

The Cardinals caught a break on this day 14 years ago.

Oct 1, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pinch hitter Matt Holliday (7) hits an rbi single against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Though the St. Louis Cardinals aren't in the postseason this year, they have a lot of fond memories to fall back on from all the times they did make it. They have won 11 World Series titles and 19 National League pennants after all.

But on this day 14 years ago was a memorable win in the NL wild card game against the Atlanta Braves. For Cardinals fans, it's a fond memory, but not so much for Braves fans.

With St. Louis up 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning and just a few outs away from keeping their 2011 World Series championship defense alive, Andrelton Simmons hit a popup to shortstop Pete Kozma, but Kozma thought he heard Matt Holliday call him off, so he let Holliday have it, but the ball dropped between them.

This is where things get interesting though. The ball was on the outfield grass, but umpire Sam Hollbrook called it an infield fly, and chaos ensued.

OTD: 10/05/12

The umpires enforce the infield fly rule on a popup by Braves’ Andrelton Simmons, helping to end a Braves rally in the eighth inning and leading the Cardinals to a Wild Card victory.

One of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/ZODUEYiItu

— Cardinals Talk (@theredbird_way) October 5, 2026

Cardinals capitalized on botched infield fly call

Jun 30, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Pete Kozma (38) drops a double play ball as Chicago White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie (12) slides in safely during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The bases would have been loaded with one out had the call been correct. An infield fly can be called with at least two runners on and less than two outs, so the circumstances were right for it. However, the location of where the ball dropped was not.

Then Braves manager Freddi Gonzalez went out to argue the call, and in a moment of anger, Braves fans began to throw debris onto the field. The call was so controversial that the game even had to be put under protest. There was also a delay so that the grounds crew could clean up the mess on the field.

But after that, the Cardinals regrouped and recorded the final four outs to advance to the NLDS. Chaos ensued among Braves fans again after the final out, so the Cardinals were unable to celebrate their victory on the field and had to take it straight to the clubhouse.

It was a moment that became engrained in the minds of Cardinals and Braves fans for years. Cardinals fans remember it fondly because it got them closer to a victory, but Braves fans recall it the same way Cardinals fans recall Don Denkinger's incorrect safe call in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series.

After the win over the Braves, the Cardinals advanced all the way to the NLCS, where they fell in seven games to the San Francisco Giants.