St. Louis @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 1, 2011 ) St. Louis 6, Philadelphia 11

THE STORY: Chris Carpenter has never ventured to the mound on three days' rest during his career. The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping Carpenter's maiden voyage is a successful one on Sunday as they look to even their National League Division Series at one game apiece against the Philadelphia Phillies. The visiting Cardinals watched as an early three-run lead went by the boards and the NL East champions benefited from a five-run sixth inning to record an 11-6 triumph in Game 1. Cliff Lee will provide the opposition for the Phillies, who have won six consecutive games in the NLDS.

TV: 8:37 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Chris Carpenter (11-9, 3.45 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cliff Lee (17-8, 2.40 ERA)

Carpenter was simply brilliant in his last outing, scattering two hits and striking out 11 in a complete-game gem against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. The 36-year-old former Cy Young Award winner owns an impressive 7-2 career mark against the Phillies - with a pair of victories to his credit this season. He allowed one run over seven innings in an eventual 12-2 rout on June 23 before tossing eight scoreless frames in a 5-0 win on Sept. 18.

This is why Lee returned to the City of Brotherly Love - although a five-year deal worth $120 million can certainly help him purchase his fair share of cheesesteaks, too. Lee hopes to take the first step toward a third straight World Series appearance when he takes the mound on Sunday. The 33-year-old Arkansas native improved to 3-1 in his career against the Cardinals by scattering six hits in a complete-game shutout on June 22.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS: Lance Berkman belted a three-run homer in the first inning to quiet the crowd at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday. Berkman's blast was his first since he got the better of Roy Halladay last month as well. Berkman has fared well versus Lee, going 5-for-13 in his career with three doubles. Albert Pujols went 1-for-3, but manager Tony La Russa noted that the slugger is being plagued by a minor heel injury. Rafael Furcal returned from a two-game absence with a hamstring injury and went 1-for-4. Five-time All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday did not start due to tendinitis in his right hand. He struck out to end the game.

ABOUT THE PHILLIES: Ryan Howard launched a three-run homer to ignite a five-run sixth inning on Saturday. The St. Louis native added a run-scoring sacrifice fly for his 31st RBI in postseason play, moving him into first place in franchise history. Hunter Pence enjoyed his first taste of the postseason, going 2-for-5 with a two-run single in the eighth inning. Both Phillies stars have struggled against Carpenter - with Howard going 2-for-9 and Pence 4-for-22, respectively. Chase Utley has been swinging a hot bat, collecting seven hits in his last three contests. He went 3-for-5 and scored three times on Saturday.

FINAL PITCH: The first six hitters in Philadelphia's lineup combined to go 13-for-25 with two homers and 11 RBIs.