Cardinals, Tigers Play Games 3 Thru 5 in St. Louis…
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After the off-day on Monday, the series resumes on Tuesday with games 3 through 5 to be played at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Tuesday.
Lefthander Nate Robinson starts for Detroit in game 3 vs. reigning Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter for the Cardinals.
STATS Senior Writer Santosh Venkataraman summarizes the starting match-up between Robinson and Carpenter;
Robertson opened the first two postseason series for Detroit, going 1-1 with a 5.91 ERA in those outings while failing to last past the sixth inning each time. He was tagged for seven runs and 12 hits in a 8-4 loss at the New York Yankees on Oct. 3, but recovered to give up six hits over five scoreless innings in a 5-1 victory at Oakland on Oct. 10 in Game 1 of the ALCS.
The left-hander has never faced St. Louis but was outstanding in interleague play this season, going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four outings. He has pitched to only three players on the Cardinals’ playoff roster — Ronnie Belliard, Preston Wilson and David Eckstein.
Wilson is 5-for-5 with two homers in his career against Robertson, who will be taking the mound for the first time in exactly two weeks.
St. Louis will send reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter to the mound for his first career World Series start. Carpenter has shined in the postseason during his career, going 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA in seven outings.
The right-hander was outstanding at home this year, going 8-4 with a major league-leading 1.81 ERA in 17 starts. He also won his lone start at Busch Stadium this postseason, limiting San Diego to two runs and seven hits over seven innings in a 6-2 victory over San Diego in Game 4 of the NL division series.
“Obviously he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball,” Leyland said. “He’s a Cy Young winner. I have the utmost respect for him.”
Carpenter lost to the Tigers on June 23 at Comerica Park, when he was tagged for seven runs and nine hits over seven innings in a 10-6 loss. It marked his first start against Detroit in nearly five years.
Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols is just 3-for-17 with one RBI in five home playoff games this postseason. Pujols has one hit in six at-bats in the World Series — a two-run homer in the third inning of Game 1.
La Russa will have to decide which two outfielders will join center fielder Jim Edmonds from a group of Wilson, So Taguchi and Juan Encarnacion. Wilson’s numbers against Robertson give him an edge, while Taguchi is 1-for-4 in the series and Encarnacion is hitless in seven at-bats.
In game 4, Detroit’s Jeremy Bonderman will face Jeff Suppan for St. Louis. Game 5 match-up will see a rematch of game 1 with Justin Verlanger facing Jeff Weaver.
For a full box score and play-by-plays on Tuesday’s game, click here.
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