The Texas Rangers posted the highest bid for Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish and that bid was accepted by Darvish's team in Japan, Major League Baseball announced Monday night.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels would not say how much the Rangers posting bid was, but sources said it was around $51.7 million. Bidding for the posting fee closed last Wednesday, and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters had until 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday to accept.

The club still has to pay Darvish a contract, meaning the total investment likely will top $100 million.

The club has 30 days to negotiate with Darvish and his representatives. Should they not reach an agreement in that allotted time, the Fighters will not receive the posting fee and Darvish will pitch in Japan next season.

"Our ownership went the extra mile on this one," Daniels said on a conference call late Monday.

The 25-year-old right-hander is considered the best pitcher in the Japanese professional leagues and several of baseball's biggest spenders were thought to be interested in him.

In 2006, Daisuke Matsuzaka drew a $51.1 million posting fee from the Boston Red Sox, who signed him to a six-year, $52 million contract, taking the total package to more than $100 million.

Matsuzaka pitched in Japan for the Seibu Lions.

If the Rangers can close the deal, Darvish would join a rotation that already includes five starters: Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Alexi Ogando and former closer Neftali Feliz, moved out of the bullpen when the club signed free-agent reliever Joe Nathan this offseason.

"If we're able to sign him (Darvish), then we'll have a very good problem on our hands," Daniels said.

Darvish is represented by Don Nomura and Arn Tellem.

"We were pleased to learn that the Texas Rangers were the high bidders for Yu Darvish," Tellem said in a statement. "The Rangers are an extraordinary franchise in an exceptional city with equally exceptional fans. Yu is honored to be prized so highly and recognized as a once-in-a-generation pitcher. We look forward to getting negotiations under way."

In an earlier statement, the Rangers said they were "pleased and excited" to win the rights to negotiate with Darvish.

"Our organization has scouted Mr. Darvish for the last several years and has been very impressed with his abilities and accomplishments. We believe he would be a great addition to the Texas Rangers pitching staff," the team said. "We look forward to beginning the next step of this process in the very near future."

The Fighters gave him approval to negotiate with a major league club through the posting system. Matsuzaka and Ichiro Suzuki went to the major leagues under the system.

Darvish, the son of an Iranian father and a Japanese mother, was 18-6 with a league-best 1.44 ERA and 276 strikeouts. He is known to have superb command and some scouting reports say a seven-pitch repertoire, including a two-seamer added in 2010. Darvish walked just 36 batters in 232 innings.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander pitched in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He started his professional career at age 18 and after an average rookie year, which included getting caught smoking in a pachinko parlor on an off day during his first spring training despite not being old enough to legally smoke nor to gamble at the time, put up impressive numbers in his second season (2006), going 12-5 with a 2.89 ERA and 115 strikeouts. Darvish has been steady and has pitched plenty of innings, leading up to his opportunity to land a deal and pitch in the big leagues.

"Darvish is the No. 1 pitcher in Japan, but we want him to become the ace of the world," Nippon Ham team representative Toshimasa Shimada said this month.

Darvish is 93-38 with a 1.99 ERA in his career in Japan. He has not pitched in the major leagues before and scouts seem to differ on how good he will be. But he's projected by most as a No. 1 or No. 2 starter.

In 2007, Darvish won the Eiji Sawamura Award presented to the top pitcher in Japanese professional baseball after posting a 15-5 record with a 1.82 ERA and a league-leading 210 strikeouts.

"Obviously, it's a very exciting night for our organization, our fans and our community," Daniels said. "We're looking for any opportunity to improve our club, not just for next season but for the long term."

For a Rangers staff without a true No. 1, he gives them a young starter who slides into the upper part of the rotation, assuming a contract is reached. C.J. Wilson, the Rangers' top starter in 2011, signed a five-year, $77.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels this offseason.

Daniels scouted Darvish himself last season and the club has increased its presence in the Pacific Rim in recent years. The team's biggest signing out of Japan was Lewis prior to the 2010 season. He put up a ton of strikeouts and showed solid control in Japan for two seasons and has been able to replicate that, for the most part, in the majors. Lewis has pitched well in the postseason for two straight years and the Rangers picked up a club option on Lewis' contract for the 2012 season.

It's a major move for the Rangers, buoyed by a lucrative television contract and consecutive AL championships under a new ownership group led by Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan. But the team is still chasing its first World Series title -- and Texas knows all too well that nothing is done until it is done.

Despite a serious effort, the Rangers were unable to re-sign free-agent ace Cliff Lee following the 2010 season. They made it back to the World Series anyway and were within one strike of winning it all -- twice -- before the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to take the trophy.

"Our commitment of our ownership is to put the best team out there. The last couple of years we just haven't been able to close it out," Daniels said.

Courtesy of ESPN.com

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By the time David Freese stomped on home plate Game 6 had already been stamped among the greatest thrillers in baseball history.

Twice down to their last strike, the St. Louis Cardinals somehow rallied.

And when Freese completed a startling series of comebacks with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to beat Texas 10-9 on Thursday night, fans all over got ready to enjoy something they hadn't seen in a long time: Game 7 of the World Series.

"You had to be here to believe it," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.

It was as great a game as the sport has ever witnessed, rivaling the Carlton Fisk homer in Game 6 of the 1975 Series and Bill Buckner's error in Game 6 of the 1986 Series.

Freese saved St. Louis with a two-strike, two-out, two-run triple off Rangers closer Neftali Feliz that tied it in the ninth. In the 10th, after Josh Hamilton had homered to give Texas a two-run lead, Lance Berkman's two-strike, two-out single made it 9-all.

To Freese, who grew up in the St. Louis area, it all reminded him of a game-ending home run Jim Edmonds hit in the 2004 playoffs.

"Growing up or whatever, and you see stuff like that happen, those become memories," Freese said.

Great, that is, except for Texas. The Rangers were that close to winning their first championship.

"I understand it's not over till you get that last out," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "I was just sitting there praying we got that last out. We didn't get it."

This was just the third time that a team one out from elimination in the World Series came back to win the game, according to STATS LLC. The New York Mets did it with Buckner's mistake and wound up winning the championship. In 1911, the New York Giants rallied past the Philadelphia A's in Game 5, but lost the next game.

Next up on Friday night, the first Game 7 in the World Series since the Angels beat San Francisco in 2002.

After it was over, La Russa wasn't willing to announce his starter for Game 7 -- many believe it will be ace Chris Carpenter on three days' rest. Matt Harrison is set to start for Texas.

Home teams have won the last eight Game 7s in the World Series, a streak that started with the Cardinals beating Milwaukee in 1982.

"There is tomorrow, now, for us," Cardinals star Albert Pujols said.

Freese had already written himself into St. Louis lore with the tying triple.

"Initially I was like 'Are you kidding me? My first AB off Feliz in this situation ever,'" Freese said. "I just beared down, got a pitch to hit. Initially I thought I hit it pretty good, I thought (right fielder Nelson Cruz) was going to grab it, so just a lot of emotions on that one."

After the banged-up Hamilton's two-run homer in the 10th, St. Louis again tied it when Berkman hit a two-out single on a 2-2 pitch from Scott Feldman.

"I was one strike away," Feldman said. "That pitch there, I didn't quite get it in enough and he was able to get enough of the bat on it to knock it into center field."

Busch Stadium was still in a frenzy when Freese opened the 11th with a leadoff shot over the center field wall off Mark Lowe. Freese thrust his arm in the air as he rounded first base, and the crowd was delirious.

"Just an incredible feeling, seeing all my teammates at the dish waiting for me," said Freese, whose shirt was torn off during the celebration.

Texas trudged off the field as Freese circled the bases, having been so close to that elusive title. Much earlier, team president Nolan Ryan was high-fiving friends in the stands as Adrian Beltre and Cruz opened the seventh with home runs that helped Texas take a 7-4 lead.

"I'm not going to lose any sleep over it," Hamilton said. "We're just going to do everything we can to prepare. Guys are already talking about it. We're ready for Game 7. Shake it off and come back tomorrow. That's just our mentality. But it goes both ways. Seems like they had that mentality. too."

Allen Craig's solo homer in the eighth began the Cardinals' comeback. Jake Westbrook wound up with the win.

Hardly the ending anyone imagined in a game that started out with a bevy of errors and bobbles -- none more surprising than the routine popup that Freese simply dropped at third base.

"I'm just glad I had a chance after I looked like an idiot on that popup," Freese said.

The Cardinals made it 4-all in the sixth when Alexi Ogando relieved starter Colby Lewis and walked Yadier Molina with the bases loaded.

Then came a key play -- Napoli and Beltre teamed up to pick off Matt Holliday at third with the bases loaded.

With one out, Napoli zipped a throw to Beltre, who neatly used his cleat to block the diving Holliday from reaching the base. That also ended Holliday's night with a severely bruised right pinkie.

Texas wasn't quite out of trouble as Nick Punto walked to reload the bases. But Derek Holland, the star of Game 4 with shutout ball into the ninth inning, trotted in from the bullpen and retired Jon Jay on a comebacker.

Texas and St. Louis seemed tense early, as if they were trying too hard with so much at stake. Either that, or they looked like they were playing in the sloppy weather that forced Wednesday night's postponement.

Exacerbated by the errors, the teams seesawed through the early innings.

Texas did more damage in three batters against Jaime Garcia than it did in seven scoreless innings against him in Game 2, with Hamilton hitting an RBI single in the first.

St. Louis came out swinging at first pitches, and Berkman's two-run homer into the center field bleachers made it 2-1 in the bottom half. Ian Kinsler tied it in the Texas second with an RBI double. Garcia was pulled after the third in his shortest outing since June 2010.

Shaky in the field all year, St. Louis made two errors in a span of four batters in the fourth behind reliever Fernando Salas, equaling its mistake total for the Series.

The misplays continued in the Cards fourth when first baseman Michael Young made an errant throw to Lewis covering the base, letting Berkman reach. Molina's RBI grounder made it 3-all.

The next botch was Freese's drop and Young took advantage with an RBI double for a 4-3 lead.

Game notes
Texas was 0-for-11 with two outs and runners in scoring position in the Series until Kinsler's double. ... Berkman hit his first Series home run. He was moved up a spot to cleanup for this game. ... David Eckstein, MVP of the 2006 Series for St. Louis, threw out the first ball. ... 90-year-old Hall of Famer Stan Musial rode in on a golf cart during pregame festivities. ... The crowd of 47,325 was a record for 6-year-old Busch Stadium.

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ARLINGTON, Texas -- A long drive by Mike Napoli, a lucky bounce near the mound and suddenly the Texas Rangers were on the brink of their first World Series championship.

Napoli delivered the biggest hit of his charmed season, lining a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning that sent the Rangers past the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-2 edge.

The slugging catcher then capped off his night of double duty, throwing out a would-be base stealer in the ninth as Albert Pujols struck out.

"Pujols is going to put it in play, he's a good contact hitter," Napoli said, "and they were just starting the runner, 3-2. As soon as I got it, I just got rid of it and put it on the bag."

Texas will try to wrap it up in Game 6 on Wednesday night in St. Louis.

If the Rangers eventually do win that elusive crown, the Texas fans who stood and chanted Napoli's name may forever remember his two-run hit.

"Just trying to get something to the outfield, you know, get a sac fly, get that run across the board," Napoli said. "I was trying to stay short and I got a pitch I could handle over the middle of the plate and put it in the gap."

If the Cardinals lose, there's no doubt which play will stick with manager Tony La Russa for a long, long time.

It was 2-all when Texas put runners on first and second with one out in the eighth, and reliever Marc Rzepczynski was summoned. David Murphy followed with a bouncer back to the mound, a possible inning-ending double play in the making.

But the ball appeared to glance off Rzepczynski's knee and trickled harmlessly away for a single that loaded the bases. In the dugout, La Russa immediately threw his hands to his head, a true "Oh, no!" moment.

La Russa elected to let his lefty stay in to face the right-handed Napoli, and it didn't work.

Napoli, who came close to a three-run homer in his previous at-bat, sent a drive up the alley against the pitcher with the nickname "Scrabble." The double off Rzepczynski sure spelled good things for Texas, with excitable manager Ron Washington waving the runners around from the dugout.

Darren Oliver earned the win and Neftali Feliz closed for his second save of the Series and sixth of the postseason.

After a travel day, the Series will resume at Busch Stadium with Colby Lewis facing Cardinals lefty Jaime Garcia. The weather forecast in St. Louis is daunting, calling for rain and temperatures around 50.

Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland hit solo home runs off Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, helping Texas come back from an early 2-0 deficit.

Later, it became a battle of the bullpens and Texas prevailed.

Octavio Dotel gave up a leadoff double to Michael Young in the eighth, struck out Beltre and intentionally walked Nelson Cruz. That left it up to Rzepczynski, and the game quickly slipped away.

La Russa appeared stunned by the turnaround. Later in the eighth, he brought in reliever Lance Lynn and had him issue an intentional walk to the only batter he faced. Jason Motte eventually ended the inning, but it was too late.

Fittingly, Napoli had a role in the final play. Lance Berkman struck out and the ball hit Napoli's shin guard and trickled up the first base line, where the catcher picked it up and tossed to first base to end the game.

Pujols drew three intentional walks, including a pass with two outs and none on in the seventh. The St. Louis slugger then nearly used his legs to put his team ahead.

Pujols was running hard on a 3-2 pitch that Matt Holliday hit for a single to left-center. Pujols chugged around the bags and third base coach Jose Oquendo initially waved him home, only to put up a late stop sign.

Would Pujols have been safe on shortstop Elvis Andrus' wide throw to the plate? Maybe. But it became moot when Lance Berkman was intentionally walked to load the bases and David Freese flied out against Alexi Ogando.

Beltre's homer made it 2-all with two outs in the sixth. He dropped to one knee after following through on a meaty cut. He connected on a big curve from Carpenter, who had easily handled Josh Hamilton and Young to start the inning.

Beltre's other homers this October came in a bunch. He hit three in a first-round playoff game at Tampa Bay.

Napoli almost gave Texas a cushion later in the inning. With the crowd standing and chanting his name as "Nap-Oh-Lee" flashed on the scoreboard, the catcher's bid for a three-run homer was caught on the warning track in right-center field, just shy of the 407-foot mark.

The homer let Wilson avoid becoming the first pitcher to lose four times in a single postseason. The eccentric lefty who alternates red and blue gloves between starts had another uneven outing, working around five walks.

Wilson walked six while losing Game 1 to Carpenter and the Cardinals.

Moreland atoned for some glove woes with a home run in the third, hitting a drive halfway up the second deck in right field.

The Cardinals scored twice in the second, cashing in two leadoff walks sandwiched around a wild pitch.

Yadier Molina notched his fifth RBI of the Series with a single that left fielder Murphy overran and fumbled for an error. Skip Schumaker followed with an RBI grounder to first that Moreland boxed around, preventing any chance at a double play.

Murphy made a diving catch to end the inning, denying Nick Punto a run-scoring hit. Punto carried his bat all the way to first base and tried to break the wood by bending it over his right thigh.

Already ahead 2-0, the Cards threatened in the third after Wilson slipped coming off the mound trying to field Rafael Furcal's leadoff bunt and made a poor, backhanded flip that skittered past Moreland. But with runners at the corners, Wilson got Holliday to bounce into a quick double play. Not so surprising, really -- Wilson induced the most DP grounders in the majors this year while St. Louis hit into an NL-record 169 double plays.

Holliday flied out with the bases loaded, after an intentional walk to Pujols, to finish the fifth.

NOTES: Playing on his 34th birthday, Furcal led off the game with a liner that 3B Beltre backhanded. Furcal started Game 4 the same way. ... Wilson matched the postseason record for walks -- 19 -- set by Cleveland's Jaret Wright in 1997. Wilson's 11 walks in the World Series are the most since Allie Reynolds in 1951. ... Pujols flied out on a 3-0 pitch to end the first. He swung at 15 of 37 pitches on 3-0 counts this season, going 4 for 8 on the balls he put in play. ... Cardinals reliever Arthur Rhodes turned 42. He's the oldest player to celebrate a birthday while playing in the Series. Jim Palmer was 38 in 1983.

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