Civilization's last hope triumphs in 18 innings

When my wife Denise was a girl, she and her mother used to attend Iowa Oaks Triple-A games routinely. Their home became the home away from home for a variety of future major leaguers.

One was Tony LaRussa, manager of the St. Louis Dirty Birds. Possibly her favorite, though, was Phil Garner, currently manager of the Houston Astros. Since our Cubs didn't make the playoffs, and given the emergency posed by the prospect of a White Sox- Cardinals World Series, we are compelled to cast aside our antipathy for the wild card and root for the 'Stros.

Tonight they beat Atlanta, 7-6, in 18 innings.

Onward to the NLCS!