Cardinals vs. Astros
Associated Press
GAME: St. Louis Cardinals at Houston Astros.
SERIES: NL Championship Series; tied, 1-1.
TIME: Saturday, 4:25 p.m. EDT.
LINE: The Astros are listed as -129 favorites, with a total set at 7 1/2.
Of the two heroes from the most memorable game in Houston Astros history, one has already made his presence felt in the NL championship series and the other could be about to.
The St. Louis Cardinals aren`t sure their postseason hero will even be available.
Roger Clemens takes the mound and hopes Chris Burke can keep providing timely hits as the NLCS shifts to Houston for Game 3, with the Cardinals possibly having Reggie Sanders out of the lineup.
Though Clemens is the bigger name, Burke is the one making a name for himself in this postseason. His 18th-inning homer against Atlanta in Game 4 of the NL division series ended the longest playoff game in major league history and gave Houston a spot in the NLCS.
Burke, though, would not have had that opportunity if Clemens hadn`t come out of the bullpen for just the second time in his career to hold the Braves to one hit and no runs in the final three innings to get the win.
``It`s phenomenal just to watch the man, what he does, how he prepares. But he`s a true star in my viewpoint,`` Astros manager Phil Garner said of Clemens. ``And a true star is somebody who you just sense is bigger than anything you`ve ever been around, and he is that.``
Burke could be on his way to stardom.
His offense backed a superb performance from Roy Oswalt in Game 2 as the Astros evened this series with a 4-1 victory Thursday. Burke tripled and scored in the second inning, and singled home Lance Berkman in the eighth before scoring again on Adam Everett`s triple.
One night earlier, the 25-year-old rookie hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer off Chris Carpenter in his only at-bat during Houston`s 5-3 loss in Game 1.
``He`s been phenomenal,`` Craig Biggio said. ``He`s been a huge contributor for us and a big lift.``
Clemens, whose 341 wins rank ninth all time, pitched seven strong innings to win Game 3 of last year`s NLCS against the Cardinals, only to lose Game 7.
Though his relief effort in the NLDS was outstanding, his only start was not. Clemens was tagged for five runs and six hits in five innings of a 7-1 loss in Game 2 against Atlanta.
It`s possible Clemens will get to the plate before Burke does Saturday.
Despite going 5-for-8 in this postseason, Burke generally only starts games when the opponent`s starting pitcher is a left-hander. Righty Matt Morris is going for the Cardinals in Game 3 and that means Mike Lamb, who is 4-for-10 with a homer in these playoffs, could get Burke`s spot in the order.
When asked Thursday how he`ll use Burke in Game 3, Garner said, ``I`m just trying to get through tonight. We`ll think about that a little bit later. Right now I don`t know what I`ll do on Saturday.``
If Cardinals manager Tony La Russa makes a change to his outfield, it won`t be by choice.
Sanders said Friday that he`d play in Game 3, but La Russa said Sanders, who leads all players with 12 RBIs in the postseason, was ``probably 50-50`` to play.
``It is what it is,`` Sanders said before the Cardinals worked out at Minute Maid Park. ``We have to battle through. Nobody`s 100 percent, but I think as long as you`re functional you can go out and help the team.``
``The doctor said it was like a train wreck,`` La Russa said. ``He didn`t break anything, but he was bruised all over.``
Thursday`s loss was the first time in five playoff games Sanders has failed to drive in a run. It wasn`t just the Cardinals` first loss in this postseason, but the first time they trailed in any game.
``We had our chances,`` leadoff hitter David Eckstein said. ``We just didn`t hit.``
Morris hopes the Cardinals do in Houston.
He helped St. Louis close out San Diego in Game 3 of the NLDS, allowing two runs and five hits in six innings of the 7-5 victory.
That was his exact line from his most recent start against Houston on Sept. 27, but he was outpitched by Oswalt and the Cardinals lost 3-1.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Cardinals - NL Central champions; beat San Diego Padres 3-0, NL division series. Astros - NL wild-card winners; beat Atlanta Braves 3-1, NL division series.
PROJECTED LINEUPS: Cardinals - SS Eckstein (.294, 8 HRs, 61 RBIs, 11 SBs), CF Jim Edmonds (.263, 29, 89), 1B Albert Pujols (.330, 41, 117, 16 SBs), RF Larry Walker (.289, 15, 52 in 100 games), LF Sanders (.271, 21, 54 in 93 games) or So Taguchi (.288, 8, 53), 2B Mark Grudzielanek (.294, 8, 59), C Yadier Molina (.252, 8, 49), 3B Abraham Nunez (.285, 5, 44). Astros - 2B Biggio (.264, 26, 69, 17 HBP), CF Willy Taveras (.291, 3, 29, 71 infield hits, 34 SBs), 3B Morgan Ensberg (.283, 36, 101), 1B or LF Berkman (.293, 24, 82, 91 walks), RF Jason Lane (.267, 26, 78), LF Burke (.248, 5, 26) or 1B Lamb (.236, 12, 53), SS Everett (.248, 11, 54), C Brad Ausmus (.258, 3, 47).
CARDINALS PROBABLE STARTING PITCHER: Morris (14-10, 4.11 ERA). Before beating San Diego, his only victory in 13 previous playoff appearances came against Arizona in the 2002 NLDS. Morris went 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA in last year`s playoffs as he battled a bum shoulder that required offseason surgery. Though Morris went 0-5 in his final seven starts of the regular season, one of his best performances during that stretch was the Sept. 27 outing against Houston. He won his only other start this year against the Astros, and is 9-10 with a 3.53 ERA lifetime against them.
ASTROS PROBABLE STARTING PITCHER: Clemens (13-8, 1.87 ERA). He went 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA in four starts against the Cardinals this season after going 3-0 in five previous regular-season outings against them. The 22-year veteran is 4-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 13 career LCS starts.
REGULAR SEASON SERIES: Cardinals, 11-5.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Cardinals - Eckstein went 1-for-13 this season against Clemens and is a career .125 hitter (3-for-24) against him. ... Walker`s only hit in 16 at-bats this postseason was a broken-bat single in Game 1 of this series. He`s been bothered by a sore right knee. ... In 11 1-3 innings during the playoffs, the St. Louis bullpen has given up 10 earned runs. Astros - Berkman has hit .357 (20-for-56) against Morris. ... Houston has won nine of its last 11 home games. The two losses were both by one run. ... Biggio has had at least two hits in three of the Astros` six playoff games.
POSTSEASON ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Cardinals - 1-0 on the road. Astros - 2-0 at home.
Associated Press
GAME: St. Louis Cardinals at Houston Astros.
SERIES: NL Championship Series; tied, 1-1.
TIME: Saturday, 4:25 p.m. EDT.
LINE: The Astros are listed as -129 favorites, with a total set at 7 1/2.
Of the two heroes from the most memorable game in Houston Astros history, one has already made his presence felt in the NL championship series and the other could be about to.
The St. Louis Cardinals aren`t sure their postseason hero will even be available.
Roger Clemens takes the mound and hopes Chris Burke can keep providing timely hits as the NLCS shifts to Houston for Game 3, with the Cardinals possibly having Reggie Sanders out of the lineup.
Though Clemens is the bigger name, Burke is the one making a name for himself in this postseason. His 18th-inning homer against Atlanta in Game 4 of the NL division series ended the longest playoff game in major league history and gave Houston a spot in the NLCS.
Burke, though, would not have had that opportunity if Clemens hadn`t come out of the bullpen for just the second time in his career to hold the Braves to one hit and no runs in the final three innings to get the win.
``It`s phenomenal just to watch the man, what he does, how he prepares. But he`s a true star in my viewpoint,`` Astros manager Phil Garner said of Clemens. ``And a true star is somebody who you just sense is bigger than anything you`ve ever been around, and he is that.``
Burke could be on his way to stardom.
His offense backed a superb performance from Roy Oswalt in Game 2 as the Astros evened this series with a 4-1 victory Thursday. Burke tripled and scored in the second inning, and singled home Lance Berkman in the eighth before scoring again on Adam Everett`s triple.
One night earlier, the 25-year-old rookie hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer off Chris Carpenter in his only at-bat during Houston`s 5-3 loss in Game 1.
``He`s been phenomenal,`` Craig Biggio said. ``He`s been a huge contributor for us and a big lift.``
Clemens, whose 341 wins rank ninth all time, pitched seven strong innings to win Game 3 of last year`s NLCS against the Cardinals, only to lose Game 7.
Though his relief effort in the NLDS was outstanding, his only start was not. Clemens was tagged for five runs and six hits in five innings of a 7-1 loss in Game 2 against Atlanta.
It`s possible Clemens will get to the plate before Burke does Saturday.
Despite going 5-for-8 in this postseason, Burke generally only starts games when the opponent`s starting pitcher is a left-hander. Righty Matt Morris is going for the Cardinals in Game 3 and that means Mike Lamb, who is 4-for-10 with a homer in these playoffs, could get Burke`s spot in the order.
When asked Thursday how he`ll use Burke in Game 3, Garner said, ``I`m just trying to get through tonight. We`ll think about that a little bit later. Right now I don`t know what I`ll do on Saturday.``
If Cardinals manager Tony La Russa makes a change to his outfield, it won`t be by choice.
Sanders said Friday that he`d play in Game 3, but La Russa said Sanders, who leads all players with 12 RBIs in the postseason, was ``probably 50-50`` to play.
``It is what it is,`` Sanders said before the Cardinals worked out at Minute Maid Park. ``We have to battle through. Nobody`s 100 percent, but I think as long as you`re functional you can go out and help the team.``
``The doctor said it was like a train wreck,`` La Russa said. ``He didn`t break anything, but he was bruised all over.``
Thursday`s loss was the first time in five playoff games Sanders has failed to drive in a run. It wasn`t just the Cardinals` first loss in this postseason, but the first time they trailed in any game.
``We had our chances,`` leadoff hitter David Eckstein said. ``We just didn`t hit.``
Morris hopes the Cardinals do in Houston.
He helped St. Louis close out San Diego in Game 3 of the NLDS, allowing two runs and five hits in six innings of the 7-5 victory.
That was his exact line from his most recent start against Houston on Sept. 27, but he was outpitched by Oswalt and the Cardinals lost 3-1.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Cardinals - NL Central champions; beat San Diego Padres 3-0, NL division series. Astros - NL wild-card winners; beat Atlanta Braves 3-1, NL division series.
PROJECTED LINEUPS: Cardinals - SS Eckstein (.294, 8 HRs, 61 RBIs, 11 SBs), CF Jim Edmonds (.263, 29, 89), 1B Albert Pujols (.330, 41, 117, 16 SBs), RF Larry Walker (.289, 15, 52 in 100 games), LF Sanders (.271, 21, 54 in 93 games) or So Taguchi (.288, 8, 53), 2B Mark Grudzielanek (.294, 8, 59), C Yadier Molina (.252, 8, 49), 3B Abraham Nunez (.285, 5, 44). Astros - 2B Biggio (.264, 26, 69, 17 HBP), CF Willy Taveras (.291, 3, 29, 71 infield hits, 34 SBs), 3B Morgan Ensberg (.283, 36, 101), 1B or LF Berkman (.293, 24, 82, 91 walks), RF Jason Lane (.267, 26, 78), LF Burke (.248, 5, 26) or 1B Lamb (.236, 12, 53), SS Everett (.248, 11, 54), C Brad Ausmus (.258, 3, 47).
CARDINALS PROBABLE STARTING PITCHER: Morris (14-10, 4.11 ERA). Before beating San Diego, his only victory in 13 previous playoff appearances came against Arizona in the 2002 NLDS. Morris went 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA in last year`s playoffs as he battled a bum shoulder that required offseason surgery. Though Morris went 0-5 in his final seven starts of the regular season, one of his best performances during that stretch was the Sept. 27 outing against Houston. He won his only other start this year against the Astros, and is 9-10 with a 3.53 ERA lifetime against them.
ASTROS PROBABLE STARTING PITCHER: Clemens (13-8, 1.87 ERA). He went 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA in four starts against the Cardinals this season after going 3-0 in five previous regular-season outings against them. The 22-year veteran is 4-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 13 career LCS starts.
REGULAR SEASON SERIES: Cardinals, 11-5.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Cardinals - Eckstein went 1-for-13 this season against Clemens and is a career .125 hitter (3-for-24) against him. ... Walker`s only hit in 16 at-bats this postseason was a broken-bat single in Game 1 of this series. He`s been bothered by a sore right knee. ... In 11 1-3 innings during the playoffs, the St. Louis bullpen has given up 10 earned runs. Astros - Berkman has hit .357 (20-for-56) against Morris. ... Houston has won nine of its last 11 home games. The two losses were both by one run. ... Biggio has had at least two hits in three of the Astros` six playoff games.
POSTSEASON ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Cardinals - 1-0 on the road. Astros - 2-0 at home.
