=== St. Louis Cardinals Team Report - May 20 ===

(My Sportsbook) - The St. Louis Cardinals try to make it two straight wins this afternoon when they play the rubber match of their three-game series with the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.

In the middle contest of the set on Wednesday, Scott Rolen doubled home Edgar Renteria in the eighth with the only run of the game, leading St. Louis to a 1-0 win.

Jeff Suppan, Cal Eldred and Steve Kline combined to toss a four-hit shutout for the Cardinals, who ended a two-game slide and evened this three-game set after losing the opener in the ninth inning on Tuesday, 5-4.

Suppan, who didn't figure in the decision, went six scoreless innings, allowing only four hits, striking out three and walking one. Eldred (1-0) got the win, tossing two hitless innings, while Kline earned his first save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth.

After seven scoreless innings by New York starter Steve Trachsel, it was the Mets' bullpen turn to blow a game. Mike Stanton started the inning by allowing an infield single to Tony Womack. Renteria then attempted to bunt him over, but Womack was thrown out at second by catcher Vance Wilson.

Stanton (0-1) was then replaced by Tuesday night's winner Ricky Bottalico, who got Albert Pujols to fly out to center. However, Renteria stole second on the first pitch to Rolen and then scored on Rolen's double to the gap in left center.

St. Louis will pin its hopes this afternoon on righthander Jason Marquis, who is coming off a win over the Florida Marlins in his last trip to the mound. In that contest on Friday, the 25-year-old hurler surrendered two runs on five hits over 7 2/3 innings and improved to 2-3 on the season, while lowering his ERA to 3.44.

Marquis is 1-2 lifetime against the Mets with a 4.64 ERA in 12 games, five starts.

The Cards will be playing the third leg of a six-game road trip tonight and are 11-6 away from home this year.

St. Louis took five of the six matchups between the teams last season and has taken 14 of the last 20 meetings since the start of the 2001 campaign. The Cardinals have also had success in that span in Flushing, where they are 8-3 in their last 11 visits.