St. Louis, MO (My Sportsbook) - The 2002 National League Championship Series begins tonight, when the
St. Louis Cardinals tangle with the
San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium in the opener of a best-of-seven series.
St. Louis advanced to its second NLCS in three years by sweeping the defending champion Arizona Diamondbacks, while the Giants outlasted the Atlanta Braves in five games, culminating with a 3-1 victory on Monday at Turner Field.
Barry Bonds hit his third home run of the series and scored two runs to help the Giants reach to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 1989. Bonds, who came into this postseason with just one home run in 97 playoff at- bats, was 5-for-17 in the series with four RBI and five runs scored.
"I'll be happy once I win the World Series," Bonds said. "I must admit, I'm a little bit shocked. I've never been past the first round. I don't know how to respond. Should I be happy or just sit here?"
With Monday's victory, San Francisco became the first National League team to win a Division Series after being down two-games-to-one. Bonds won his first postseason series in six tries, while manager Dusty Baker snapped an 0-for-2 drought.
"We've stormed the castle a couple of times, but we'd never slain the dragon," said a joyous Giants general manager Brian Sabean. "We got the beast of the East. We all know the pennant goes through Atlanta, and we beat them at their own game, pitching, which is to our credit."
Russ Ortiz yielded just one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win. The righthander, who also won Game 1, struck out five and walked four in becoming the first Giants pitcher to win two games in a playoff series since Hall-of-Famer Carl Hubbell went 2-0 for the New York Giants in the 1933 World Series against the Washington Senators.
Kirk Rueter gets the call this evening for Baker's crew. Rueter started Game 2 of the NL Division Series at Turner Field and was tagged with the defeat after giving up seven runs -- six earned -- on seven hits over just three innings of work. He walked two and struck out one, while yielding a pair of home runs.
In three postseason appearances, the lefthander is 0-1 with a 4.40 earned run average. He pitched well in the second half of the year, going 7-3 with a 2.93 earned run average in 15 tries. This, after compiling a 7-5 record with a 3.43 ERA in 18 first-half starts.
Throughout his career, Rueter is 60-30 on the road, including the setback to the Braves in the NLDS. This year, the 31-year-old hurler was 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA on the road.
Rueter experienced some success earlier this season versus St. Louis, tossing 7 1/3 frames and allowing two runs -- both unearned -- on six hits at Pac Bell Park on July 24. Lifetime, he is an impressive 9-3 against the Cardinals with a 2.72 ERA, including 5-0 with a 2.28 earned run average at Busch Stadium.
Matt Morris counters for the Cards. Morris was strong in Game 1 of the NLDS at Bank One Ballpark, surrendering a pair of runs -- one earned -- on seven hits over seven innings to earn his first career win in the postseason. He walked a pair and fanned three.
In last year's Division Series, the righthander started two games and finished 0-1 with a 1.20 ERA. Morris, who started Games 1 and 5 in the 2001 NLDS, gave up a total of two runs on 13 hits in 15 innings of work. He has appeared in seven postseason games -- three as a starter -- and is 1-1 with a 1.63 earned run average.
The 28-year-old hurler appeared in 18 games at home this season, compiling an 8-5 record with a 3.82 ERA and one complete game. This, after going 15-2 with a pair of complete games and a minuscule 1.62 earned run average last year at Busch Stadium. After a 10-6 first half earned him a spot on the All-Star Team, Morris went 7-3 with a 3.23 ERA following the break.
Lifetime, he is 4-2 versus San Francisco. Morris faced the Giants twice during the regular season and was 0-2 with an impressive 0.56 earned run average. In 16 innings of work, he surrendered one run on 14 hits with 16 strikeouts and four walks.
St. Louis has not played since Saturday, when it completed its sweep of the Diamondbacks with a 6-3 victory at Busch Stadium. Miguel Cairo, starting for the injured Scott Rolen, went 3-for-3 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored, helping the Cardinals defeat the team that knocked them out of the postseason in 2001.
Fernando Vina continued to swing a hot bat, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Vina went 9-for-15 (.600) in the series. Albert Pujols chipped in a run-scoring single for St. Louis, which is gunning for its 16th NL pennant.
Jeff Fassero earned the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Fassero allowed two hits and struck out two batters, while Rick White and Steve Kline combined to throw two shutout innings. Jason Isringhausen recorded his second save in the ninth to preserve the four-hitter.
Starter Andy Benes, who was making his eighth career postseason start, allowed three runs on two hits over 4 2/3 innings. The righthander fanned five, walked four and also successfully executed a suicide squeeze in the fourth inning.
Rolen, meanwhile, may miss this series after suffering multiple sprains of his left shoulder in the Game 2 victory at Bank One Ballpark.
The Cardinals won the season series between these two teams by a 4-2 margin, although each club posted one victory in the Gateway City. San Francisco was 45-35 on the road during the season, and 2-1 in the NLDS, while St. Louis won its only home game in the Division Series after going 52-29 at Busch Stadium.
Game 2 of this series is slated for Thursday, when Woody Williams (0-0, 0.00) battles Jason Schmidt (0-1, 6.75). Williams did not pitch in the NLDS because of a strained muscle in his left side.
