4B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2004
SPORTS
Cardinals defeats Astros to force series showdown
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. LOUIS — Jim Edmonds skipped around the bases, jumping into a cluster of St. Louis Cardinals waiting for him at home plate.
Now, waiting for all of them is Roger Clemens in an all-or-nothing Game 7.
Edmonds blasted a two-run homer in the 12th inning and the rejuvenated Cardinals turned Busch Stadium into a red frenzy, beating the Houston Astros 6-4 yesterday to even the NL championship series at 3-all.
"We all watched TV as kids. We all hear all the stuff you guys say and write and show us. I finally get to play in a Game 7." Edmonds said.
"I think how much better does it get? Game 7 vs. Roger Clemens," he said.
After Jeff Bagwell's two-out single in the ninth off Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen tied it at 4. Edmonds won it with a one-out shot off Dan Miceli.
Bagwell didn't even bother watching as Edmonds's shot sailed way over the St. Louis bullpen in right field.
The star first baseman simply walked across the field while the Cardinals streamed out of the dugout.
"A very winnable game for us, so I'm disappointed," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "Haven't given much thought to tomorrow's game, only that I had scheduled the Rocket to go."
Clemens came out of retirement for the sole purpose of pitching his hometown Astros into their first World Series.
Now, the 42-year-old ace will get that chance tonight.
“What's there to say?” Clemens said, excusing himself to go watch the Red Sox play
New York in Game 7 of the ALCS. "We've got to win tomorrow."
It will be will Clemens' fourth career start in a Game 7 — he's 1-0 in those outings after getting knocked out early last year in the ALCS for the Yankees.
"I've never seen him pitch when he wasn't tough to beat," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "It shapes up to be a terrific matchup."
Right-hander Julian Tavarez pitched two innings for the victory. He pitched with a left hand that he broke in a dugout tantrum in Houston.
"It's my understanding that it's the fingers that are broken as opposed to the hand, so I'm not surprised. He did throw well," Garner said.
The Cardinals won a postseason game in extra innings for the first time since the 1964 World Series at Yankee Stadium.
Miceli came on after Astros pitcher Brad Lidge blew away St. Louis for three perfect innings, striking out five.
"Of course you want him out of there," St. Louis' Albert Pujols said.
Pujols drew a leadoff walk and one out later Edmonds connected for his second homer of the NLCS.
Puijols got the Cardinals started with a two-run homer in the first inning off Pete Munro. He pitched so that Clemens would not have to work on three days' rest.
The Cardinals took a 4-3 lead into the ninth, but Isringhausen immediately put himself in jeopardy by hitting pinch-hitter Morgan Ensberg.
A bunt moved Ensberg to second, and Craig Biggio hit a fly ball for the second out.
That brought up Carlos Beltran, and the Cardinals huddled on the mound.
A big cheer broke out in the
Bagwell foiled the strategy, hitting a hard RBI single on the first pitch.
sellout crowd of 52,144 when catcher Mike Matheny signaled for an intentional walk.
After a double steal,
Isringhausen managed to keep it
tied by striking out Lance
Berkman.
In the bottom half, Lidge retired the first two batters before throwing a fastball over the head of Edmonds.
La Russa came out of the dugout to discuss the pitch with plate umpire Ed Rapuano.
Before the game, the manager angrily confronted baseball disciplinarian Bob Watson behind the batting cage, steamed that Tavarez was fined $10,000 for a pitch over Bagwell's helmet in Game 4.
"The only thing I was upset about was MLB made this ridiculous ruling about Tavarez," La Rusa said.
After hitting only .161 in three-straight losses at Minute Maid Park, the Cardinals quickly found their stroke at Busch Stadium.
Puijols put St. Louis ahead with his sixth homer of the postseason, a two-run shot, and later added a double and single.
He scored twice, and was called out at the plate another time when he ran through a coach's stop sign.
Beltran, continuing to build his October resume, hit two balls off the right-field wall and both times was held to a single by right fielder Larry Walker's fast relay throw.
Beltran scored twice, and his total of 20 postseason runs broke Barry Bonds' postseason record of 18 set in 2002.
Mike Lamb, starting at third base in place of the struggling Ensberg, hit a solo homer off Matt Morris in the fourth that made it 4-3.
Sue Ogrocki/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Houston Astros relief pitcher Dan Miceli, right, looks on as St. Louis Cardinals' Jim Edmonds reacts after hitting the game-winning home run in the 12th inning, scoring Albert Pujols to defeat the Houston Astros, 6-4, in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series last night at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Game seven will be played tonight with the series tied, 3-3.
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