Inter-division rivalries will be renewed tonight as Major LeagueBaseball’s top team, the St. Louis Cardinals, will welcomethe red-hot Astros to Busch Stadium for a seven-game series.
The Cardinals are coming off a dominating performance againstthe Los Angeles Dodgers and earned the best record in the majorsthis season.
Following two straight Cardinal wins at home, pitcher Jose Limaand the Dodgers managed to squeak one victory out in game threebefore dropping the next game 6-4. In Houston, the Astros blew outthe Atlanta Braves in a game five match-up in which Houston put up12 runs.
After splitting the first two games in Atlanta, Houston camehome to win game three. Yet the Astros failed to hold a 5-2 lead ingame four as the Braves forced one more game in Atlanta.
Houston broke out the bats Monday, scoring 12 runs on 17 hits intheir first ever playoff series win.
After starters Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt both pitched twogames in the divisional series, the Astros will be forced to sendtheir No. 3 starter Pete Munro to the mound for game one.
On the season, Munro has gone 4-7 with a 5.15 ERA with 63strikeouts in 99.2 innings pitched.
St. Louis will be coming off two days rest as the Cardinals willsend veteran Woody Williams to the mound.
In his game one start against the Dodgers, Williams pitched sixinnings and gave up just eight hits and two runs in the win.
Despite winning 105 games this season, St. Louis struggled withthe Astros in going 8-10 against their division rivals. Houston wonfive of six against St. Louis in late September, clinching the wildcard.
Houston enters the championship series as the hottest team inbaseball, going 36-10 in their final 46 games and winning 18straight at home.
Atlanta’s game four win marked the Astros’ firstloss in Houston since Aug. 22.
Offensively, the Astros are led by the “Killer Bs”— Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and CarlosBeltran. The foursome combined to hit .396 with 21 RBIs and 18 runsscored.
Beltran anchored the group, blasting four home runs and knockingin nine runs during the five game series.
In St. Louis, the Cardinals have one of the most intimidatinglineups in the majors.
Power-hitting Albert Pujols hit .331 on the season with 46 homeruns and 123 RBIs.
Complementing Pujols are infielders Edgar Renteria and ScottRolen, who combined for 196 RBIs on the season.
Newly acquired right-fielder Larry Walker has thrived with theCardinals since joining the team in August, batting .280 with 11home runs and 27 RBIs in 38 games played.
St. Louis also provided a strong defensive front, led by thefive-time gold glover Rolen at third. On the season, Rolen hascommitted just 10 errors in 141 games played with a .977 fieldingpercentage.
In game two of the series, rookie Bradon Backe will take themound for the Astros to face Jason Marquis of the Cardinals.
Backe has gone 5-3 on the year with a 4.30 ERA, includingearning the win in Houston’s wild card-clinching victoryagainst the Colorado Rockies. Backe pitched five innings and gaveup just five hits and two runs in the win.