The defending National League champion St. Louis Cardinals are preparing for another must-win game tonight at Busch Stadium, as the visiting Houston Astros hold the lead, three games to two, in the NL Championship Series.
The Astros have never been to the World Series in the franchise's 44-year history. But now, after winning two out of three games at home, the Astros are just one win away from the team's first-ever pennant.
Just as they have been all year, the Astros have been led by their stellar starting pitching in this year's NLCS. Roy Oswalt was strong in Game 2 Thursday night, allowing just one run in seven innings and striking out six Cardinals en route to Houston's first win of the series.
Staff ace Roger Clemens followed suit on Saturday, turning in six innings and allowing two runs, and earning the win, and Brandon Backe's Sunday performance consisted of just one run in five and two-thirds innings.
While the Cardinals' bats have been silenced for the most part, slugger Albert Pujols is proving to be one glaring exception. Pujols has carried the Cardinals' lineup in its time of need, hitting .368 in the NLCS and .478 overall this postseason.
Throughout the 2005 season, Pujols has proven to be a leading candidate for NL MVP honors. Never was this more evident than on Monday night in Houston, when he saved the Cardinals' season, coming through in spectacular fashion.
Astros starter Andy Pettitte turned in another solid start, allowing two runs in six and a third. Relievers Chad Qualls, Mike Gallo, and Dan Wheeler carried Houston into the ninth with a 4-2 lead, leaving the team just three outs away from the World Series.
But Pujols, facing dominant closer Brad Lidge with two runners on base and the Cardinals down to their final out, launched an 0-1 slider from Lidge for a towering home run over the left field seats in Houston's Minute Maid Park.
With the win, the Cards booked their trip back home to St. Louis to face Houston in a pivotal Game 6. The Cards dominated Houston on their home turf last season in the NLCS going a perfect 4-0 at home.
Manager Tony LaRussa will now look to Mark Mulder, who boasts a career 1.91 postseason ERA, to pitch tonight's crucial Game 6. Mulder started Game 2 against Oswalt on Thursday, pitching a solid game allowing just one earned run in seven innings and striking out six.
As the two pitchers face off again tonight, Mulder will have a lot to worry about from the Astros' offense. Lance Berkman finished Game 5 2-for-3 with a walk and a three-run homer, while Craig Biggio and Chris Burke have also been hot all series.
Houston's offense, coupled with the fact that Oswalt is 2-0 in the postseason and hasn't lost since September, make the Astros look like the favorites in this series. But the Cardinals, winners of 100 games in the 2005 regular season, shouldn't be counted out. Mulder and veteran Matt Morris have both been dependable all season, and both Pujols and Reggie Sanders have had hot streaks this October.
The Chicago White Sox, who completed a five-game ALCS victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Sunday night, eagerly await the winner of the showdown in St. Louis. Game 6 is scheduled for 8:05 tonight, and should the Cardinals prevail, Clemens and Morris will take the mound in Game 7 tomorrow night.
The winner will head to Chicago, where the 2005 World Series is set to begin on Saturday night.
