Texas @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
THE STORY: The Texas Rangers expected to be back in the World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals were excited just to be part of the postseason after an epic late-season charge. The two squads open the World Series in St. Louis on Wednesday in their first meeting since an interleague series during the 2004 campaign. Texas defeated the Detroit Tigers in six games in the American League Championship Series. St. Louis overcame a 10 1/2-game deficit in late August to claim the National League wild-card berth and downed the Milwaukee Brewers in six games in the NLCS.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, Fox.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH C.J. Wilson (16-7, 2.94 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Chris Carpenter (11-9, 3.45 ERA)
Wilson drew the Game 1 start despite a poor postseason thus far. He is 0-2 with an 8.04 ERA in three starts and has allowed 21 hits – including six homers – in 15 2/3 innings. Lance Berkman (3-for-13) is the only St. Louis player with more than four career at-bats against Wilson.
Carpenter is reportedly dealing with elbow soreness and is 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA this postseason. He is 2-6 with a 7.26 ERA in 12 career appearances (11 starts) against Texas with all but one of them occurring when he pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1997-2002. Mike Napoli is 3-for-3 with a homer against Carpenter.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS: Albert Pujols could be playing his final games for St. Louis. The free-agent-to-be is batting .419 in the postseason. NLCS Most Valuable Player David Freese batted .545 with three homers and nine RBIs against the Brewers. St. Louis hopes to have second baseman Skip Schumaker (side) back after he missed the NLCS. Closer Jason Motte has allowed just one hit in eight scoreless innings with four saves in the postseason.
ABOUT THE RANGERS: ALCS MVP Nelson Cruz set a postseason record with six homers against Detroit. He had 13 RBIs and all eight of his hits in the series were for extra bases. Michael Young had a three-hit, five-RBI performance in the finale against the Tigers after having just six hits and two RBIs over the Rangers’ first nine postseason games. Josh Hamilton hasn’t homered in 41 postseason at-bats.
FINAL PITCH: Texas had never appeared in the World Series prior to last season. St. Louis is making its 18th appearance in the Fall Classic.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, Fox.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH C.J. Wilson (16-7, 2.94 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Chris Carpenter (11-9, 3.45 ERA)
Wilson drew the Game 1 start despite a poor postseason thus far. He is 0-2 with an 8.04 ERA in three starts and has allowed 21 hits – including six homers – in 15 2/3 innings. Lance Berkman (3-for-13) is the only St. Louis player with more than four career at-bats against Wilson.
Carpenter is reportedly dealing with elbow soreness and is 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA this postseason. He is 2-6 with a 7.26 ERA in 12 career appearances (11 starts) against Texas with all but one of them occurring when he pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1997-2002. Mike Napoli is 3-for-3 with a homer against Carpenter.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS: Albert Pujols could be playing his final games for St. Louis. The free-agent-to-be is batting .419 in the postseason. NLCS Most Valuable Player David Freese batted .545 with three homers and nine RBIs against the Brewers. St. Louis hopes to have second baseman Skip Schumaker (side) back after he missed the NLCS. Closer Jason Motte has allowed just one hit in eight scoreless innings with four saves in the postseason.
ABOUT THE RANGERS: ALCS MVP Nelson Cruz set a postseason record with six homers against Detroit. He had 13 RBIs and all eight of his hits in the series were for extra bases. Michael Young had a three-hit, five-RBI performance in the finale against the Tigers after having just six hits and two RBIs over the Rangers’ first nine postseason games. Josh Hamilton hasn’t homered in 41 postseason at-bats.
FINAL PITCH: Texas had never appeared in the World Series prior to last season. St. Louis is making its 18th appearance in the Fall Classic.