SAN FRANCISCO -- Lord knows, this game can be cruel sometimes.

Steve Kline knows. The St. Louis reliever gave up a bloop single to Tony Womack and allowed the series-deciding run in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 5 of the 2001 Division Series with Arizona. Monday, exactly one year to the day later, Kline gave up a single to Kenny Lofton to score the series-deciding run in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 5 of the 2002 National League Championship Series with San Francisco.

	Andy Benes did his job in Game 4, but like in Monday's Game 5, the Cards failed to deliver in the clutch.

"I'll go home and break some stuff, whatever is in the way, and get over it," Kline said. "It will haunt me for awhile but I'll get over it. I'm not going to do no Donnie Moore or something because of it. I'll go home and see my little baby and hopefully my family will give me a pat on the back."

Kline threw just one pitch. Lofton hit it and the Cardinals' season was over.

"You'll see the highlight somewhere," Kline said. "It will be on constantly for the next 48 hours and then it will be on during the World Series about eight times and then in January it will be on again when they're showing the highlights of some guy's life. That's the great thing about TV, huh? Thank God I live out in the country."

Lord knows, this game can be cruel sometimes.

Matt Morris knows. Last year, the St. Louis starter pitched eight superb innings in Game 5 against Arizona with a blister, left tied 1-1, then watched the bullpen lose it. Monday, exactly one year to the day later, Morris pitched another superb game, only to give up two two-out singles and then watch Kline give up the game-deciding hit.

Morris didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning. He didn't allow a run for the first seven and took a 1-0 lead into the eighth. Then he gave up singles to Lofton and Rich Aurilia, then hit Jeff Kent to load the bases for Barry Bonds. Morris walked around the mound and looked into the dugout, but St. Louis manager Tony La Russa stayed with him. Morris allowed a long sacrifice fly to Bonds that tied the game.

"I was just focused on the hitter and not thinking about whether he would bring someone in," Morris said. "I got myself in a jam and he gave me the opportunity to win or lose it and I wound up losing it."

Morris left Game 5 last year. This time he stayed in, even though he gave up the eighth-inning run, even though La Russa could have lifted him for any of three pinch-hitters in the top of the ninth. "Tony asked me how I felt (before the at-bat)," Morris said. "And I said what I always say. I said I was fine.

"Tony and (pitching coach Dave Duncan) show a lot of confidence in me. They just seem to go with me when I'm throwing the ball well. I have a lot of respect for them and I try to make their decisions pay off. That's what I was trying to do. I was trying to win the game."

Lord knows, this game can be cruel sometimes.

Scott Rolen knows. He's one of the best third baseman in the league, but unhappy in Philadelphia, he forced a trade to the Cardinals. The trade rejuvenated him and he hit .278 with 14 home runs and 44 RBI the final 55 games to help St. Louis to the division title. Then Arizona's Alex Cintron collided with him on a play in the Division Series and Rolen sprained his shoulder, knocking him out of the Championship Series. Without Rolen's bat, the Cardinals scored just five runs total in three of their defeats.

"It was hard to see him on the sideline," Morris said. "This is what he came over here for and then he gets hurt and can't play."

Lord knows, this life can be cruel sometimes.

The Cardinals know. They went to the ballpark one day and learned that their great broadcaster, Jack Buck, perhaps the man most identified with the team, had died at age 77. A couple days later, they went to the ballpark and learned their teammate, Darryl Kile, had died of a heart ailment.

They dedicated the remaining season to Kile, wore his number 57 on their caps and carried his uniform onto the field when they clinched the division title. They even brought Kile's son, Kannon, into the dugout for Game 3 Saturday and won it. Kannon was there for Games 4 and 5 as well, but the Cardinals could not hold their slim leads and lost.

After Game 5, Kannon wandered through the clubhouse and the players took turns hugging him, some with tears in their eyes. The child still was wearing his stirrup socks and he asked a player whether he had to take them off. "You can wear them as long as you want," the player said.

The players, however, took off their uniforms.

Jim Caple is a senior writer for ESPN.com.