Giants Vs. Cardinals game 1
League championship series, Game 1.
TIME: Wednesday, 8:19 p.m. EDT.
The St. Louis Cardinals are still trying to overcome loss. Barry Bonds is trying to overcome a history of losing.
Both factors provide plenty of incentive as the Cardinals play host to Bonds' San Francisco Giants in the opener of the National League championship series.
One of these teams will end up with its first trip to the World Series since the 1980s, but there is much greater motivation than that in this series.
St. Louis is still dealing with the loss of teammate Darryl Kile, who died suddenly in June of a heart condition. The Cardinals have honored their pitcher by bringing his jersey to their celebrations after clinching the NL Central and wrapping up their first-round series win.
Though they struggled to replace Kile in the rotation, the Cardinals have been the hottest team in baseball. They won 21 of their last 24 regular-season games, then swept the defending World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round.
"Sometimes it's hard," infielder Miguel Cairo said, "but we're going to keep going, we're going to keep going to work for him."
To get by Arizona, St. Louis had to face two of baseball's most feared pitchers in Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. Now the Cardinals get the most feared hitter in Bonds.
Bonds is still trying to reach the World Series for the first time in his career. In his 17th season, he finally got his first playoff series victory when the Giants rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win the final two games and eliminate the Atlanta Braves in the first round.
"I'll be happy once I win the World Series," Bonds said.
The four-time MVP - who will almost certainly add a fifth soon - is known as much for his past postseason failures as for his numerous batting records. But Bonds had an excellent series against the Braves, hitting .294 with three homers, four RBIs and five runs scored. He carried the Giants to a 3-1 victory in Game 5 by hitting a long homer and scoring twice.
"I prayed Barry would have a great series, and a great series he did," manager Dusty Baker said. "He hit the ball a lot harder than the numbers indicate. I'm very glad for him."
Bonds and the Giants now face a pitcher who has proven he can cool them off. Matt Morris beat San Francisco twice this season and is 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA against the Giants over the last two seasons. Bonds hits only .154 against him.
Kirk Rueter pitches for the Giants in Game 1. He was hit hard in his lone division series start, but was a logical choice to start at Busch Stadium, where he has never lost in five career decisions.
This series is a rematch of the 1987 NLCS, which St. Louis won in seven games en route to its last World Series. Getting past this series may depend on how the Cardinals deal with an injury issue.
Third baseman Scott Rolen, a key to the team's late-season surge, likely won't play due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the division series. Albert Pujols may start in his place, or Cairo, who helped St. Louis win the clinching game against Arizona, could start there if Pujols plays left field.
"He's got a sprain in several places and it's very painful," manager Tony La Russa said before the team worked out. "It's a lot to expect that it's not going to be a couple of weeks before he gets ready."
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday night at St. Louis.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Giants - Won NL wild card; beat Atlanta Braves 3-2 in division series. Cardinals - NL Central champions; beat Arizona Diamondbacks 3-0 in division series.
PROJECTED LINEUPS: Giants - CF Kenny Lofton (.261, 11 HRs, 51 RBIs, 29 SBs), SS Rich Aurilia (.257, 15, 61), 2B Jeff Kent (.313, 37, 108, 102 runs), LF Bonds (.370, 46, 110, 117 runs), C Benito Santiago (.278, 16, 74), 1B J.T. Snow (.246, 6, 53), RF Reggie Sanders (.250, 23, 85), 3B David Bell (.261, 20, 73). Cardinals - 2B Fernando Vina (.270, 1, 54), RF J.D. Drew (.252, 18, 56), CF Jim Edmonds (.311, 28, 83), LF or 3B Pujols (.314, 34, 127), 1B Tino Martinez (.262, 21, 75), SS Edgar Renteria (.305, 11, 83), 3B Cairo (.250, 2, 23) or LF Eli Marrero (.262, 18, 66), C Mike Matheny (.244, 3, 35).
GIANTS PROBABLE STARTING PITCHER: Rueter (14-8, 3.23 ERA). The left-hander yielded seven runs and seven hits, including two homers, in three innings of a 7-3 loss to Atlanta in Game 2 of the NLDS. He has been very successful against St. Louis, going 5-0 at Busch Stadium and 9-3 overall. Rueter beat the Cardinals in his only start against them this season, allowing two unearned runs in 7 1-3 innings of a 6-4 win July 24.
CARDINALS PROBABLE STARTER: Morris (17-9, 3.42 ERA). Morris got his first postseason win in Game 1 against Arizona, beating Randy Johnson by allowing one earned run in seven innings of a 12-2 victory. He dominated the Giants in back-to-back starts in July, giving up one earned run in 16 innings while striking out 16. The right-hander is 4-2 with a 1.59 ERA lifetime against San Francisco.
SEASON SERIES: Cardinals, 4-2.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Giants - LF Bonds is 0-for-11 in his career against Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen. ... San Francisco is in the NLCS for the first time since 1989, when it reached the World Series. ... CF Lofton and SS Aurilia joined Bonds as the hitting stars of the first round. Lofton hit .350, while Aurilia homered twice and drove in a team-high seven runs. Cardinals - OF Marrero, who would likely start in the outfield if Pujols plays third, has just a .157 career average against the Giants. ... RHP Woody Williams, who was unable to pitch in the division series because of injury, is scheduled to start Game 2. ... St. Louis is in the NLCS for the second time in three years. The Cardinals lost to the New York Mets in 2000.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Giants - 45-35 on the road in regular season, 2-1 in postseason. Cardinals - 52-29 at home in regular season, 1-0 in postseason.
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VT
"Once more unto the breach..."
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