St. Louis, MO (My Sportsbook) - The
St. Louis Cardinals hope to close out their best-of- five National League Division Series this evening, when they tangle with the defending champion
Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 3 at Busch Stadium.
After pounding Randy Johnson and earning a 12-2 victory in the opener of this series, the Cardinals scratched out a 2-1 victory on Thursday to move within a win of advancing to the NLCS for the second time in three years. Miguel Cairo drove in the winning run in the top of the ninth inning for St. Louis, which is facing the Diamondbacks for the second straight season in the NLDS. Arizona won last year's series in five games.
"We're playing against the defending champions and we have total respect," said Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa. "We're really excited we got two [wins], but we know how dangerous the Diamondbacks are."
J.D. Drew homered and Fernando Vina finished 4-for-5 for St. Louis, which will be without Gold Glove third baseman Scott Rolen for the remainder of this set. Rolen injured his left shoulder in a collision with Alex Citron in Game 2 and is expected to be out of action for at least 10 days.
Jeff Fassero tossed a scoreless one-third of an inning to notch the win. St. Louis starter Chuck Finley was cruising until a blister on his pitching hand forced him to leave the game. The southpaw allowed just four hits, struck out seven and issued a pair of walks in 6 1/3 shutout innings.
"Fortunately, I got deep enough into the game where we can turn it over to our strong bullpen," said Finley. "When we get down to the end of our bullpen with Isringhausen, it's pretty much lights out after that."
Jason Isringhausen retired the Diamondbacks in order in the ninth to earn the save.
Mike Koplove was dealt the loss after permitting one run on two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Curt Schilling, making his 11th career postseason start, surrendered one run on seven hits, including Drew's homer, over seven innings. The hard- throwing righthander struck out seven and walked just one.
"We're disappointed. We're down 2-0 and we've got to find a way [to win]," said Schilling.
Miguel Batista gets the call tonight for the Diamondbacks, who have scored only one earned run in the first two games. Batista also pitched Game 3 of last season's National League Division Series at Busch Stadium, earning a victory after surrendering a pair of runs on three hits over six innings.
The righthander made a name for himself later in the postseason, tossing 7 2/3 scoreless innings of five-hit ball against the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. Although he did not receive a decision, Batista earned the admiration of his teammates and manager with the gutsy performance on baseball's biggest stage.
During the regular season, he was 8-9 with a 4.29 earned run average in 36 appearances -- 29 starts. In his last trip to the slate, on September 27 at Bank One Ballpark against the Colorado Rockies, Batista picked up a win after giving up four runs on five hits in 6 1/3 frames.
In one relief appearance against the Cardinals earlier this year, the 31-year- old hurler permitted two runs in 1 1/3 frames. He will be starting against St. Louis for the first time since last year's NLDS. Batista is 1-1 lifetime in the postseason.
Andy Benes counters for the Cardinals. Woody Williams was originally slated to take the ball this evening, but the veteran righthander was forced to thwart a throwing session on Monday after just 12 tosses because of a stiff lower back.
Benes, meanwhile, has been one of the Cardinals' biggest surprises this year. After starting the season with an 0-2 record and a 10.80 earned run average in his first three outings, the former Diamondback considered retirement and was eventually placed on the 60-day disabled list with a sore knee.
Upon his return, the righthander found his groove and was perhaps the team's best starter over the final two months of the regular season. In his last 12 starts, Benes went 5-1 with a 1.56 earned run average and allowed more than a pair of earned runs only once. At home, the 35-year-old compiled a 2-2 record with a 2.72 ERA and one complete game.
For his career, Benes is 0-2 versus Arizona. He faced the Diamondbacks twice during the regular season and was 0-1 with a 2.70 earned run average.
St. Louis went 52-29 during the regular season at home, while the Diamondbacks were 43-38 as the guest. Of the four National League playoff teams, Arizona had the fewest road wins in 2002.
If this series goes to a fourth game, Matt Morris (1-0, 1.29) will face off with Johnson (0-1, 7.50) for the second time in this series. Morris permitted two runs -- one earned -- on seven hits in seven frames in Game 1, while the "Big Unit" was tagged for six runs -- five earned -- on 10 hits in six innings of work.
