GAME 5: YANKEES 4 CARDINALS 2

Kirk Saarloos pitched seven effective innings in leading his Yankees to their first Federal League championship. Barry Zito allowed four runs in four-plus innings on short rest for the loss. The Yankees, coming into the game with a 3-1 series advantage, got out to a four run lead with a two-RBI single from Manny Ramirez in the fourth and a two-run HR from series MVP Alex Rodriguez in the fifth. The Cardinals bullpen shut down the Yankees from there but the damage was done as the St Louis offense was unable to muster more than two runs in retaliation. The Cardinals' runs scored on a pair of RBI singles. The Cards loaded the bases in the eighth inning with two outs but were unable to get the big hit. Jeremy Accardo earned the save by shutting down the Cardinals in order in the ninth. The Yankees swept the Cardinals in Busch Stadium after splitting the first two games in Yankee Stadium. Although history will remember the series as a five-game drubbing, the World Champion Yankees were actually outscored in the series 19-18. Besides scoring more runs, the Cardinals also posted a higher batting average and a lower ERA than the Yankees, but they came up short in the wins department and in a short series, that is the stat that counts most. The Yankees become the Federal League's fourth champion in as many seasons.

W - Kirk Saarloos (1-0)
L - Barry Zito (1-1)
S - Jeremy Accardo (1)
HR - Rodriguez (4)
MVP - Alex Rodriguez: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI

SERIES MVP - Alex Rodriguez: .391/4/5, 7 R

FEDERAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS:
2003 - Phillies defeat Cardinals
2004 - A's defeat Cardinals
2005 - Cardinals defeat A's
2006 - Yankees defeat Cardinals