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Gotta even my record for this year. Go Birds.
Originally posted by MLB.com
The final regular-season homestand at the current Busch Stadium gets started Tuesday night. And though the Cardinals can't change their playoff position in any way, it's still a significant game. The Astros are trying to nail down their second straight Wild Card and third in four years.
Matt Morris makes another run at win No. 15 on the year for St. Louis. The Cardinals have lost Morris' last five starts, but his last time out he showed distinct progress. Morris held the powerful Reds to an unearned run on one hit over six innings in receiving a no-decision. Morris has one start left after Tuesday -- he's slated to pitch the last regular-season game at the old ballpark.
The Astros will counter with workhorse Roy Oswalt, who has an outside shot at his second 20-win season. Oswalt has recovered from a shaky August to pitch like his usual outstanding self in September, going 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA over five starts this month. Over the years, the Cardinals have given Oswalt more trouble than most teams.
St. Louis has lost consecutive series for the first time all season. The Cardinals haven't dropped three series in a row since Sept. 6-16, 2004, when they lost sets to San Diego, the Dodgers and Houston.
Pitching matchup:
HOU: RHP Roy Oswalt
• 18-12, 2.91 ERA in 2005
• 0-2, 7.50 ERA vs. STL in 2005
STL: RHP Matt Morris
• 14-9, 3.97 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 3.60 ERA vs. HOU in 2005
Player to watch
Oswalt does a good job of keeping Albert Pujols in the park, but not off the bases. Pujols is a .368 hitter (14-for-38) against the Houston righty with three doubles, a home run and four walks.
Quotable
"It's a neat thing to see. It's good for them. It's good for us. It's a good team atmosphere." -- John Mabry, on the Cardinals' young players
On television
• HOU: FSN Southwest
• STL: FSN Midwest
On radio
• HOU: KTRH 740, KLAT (Español)
• STL: KMOX 1120
Quick hits
Mark Grudzielanek is hitting .318 with a .365 on-base percentage at home. ... Larry Walker, who may return to action on Tuesday, is hitting .293 with a .385 OBP and .486 slugging at home, as opposed to .208/.333/.434 on the road. ... If Morris can rack up 16 1/3 innings over his last two starts, he will reach 200 innings for the second straight year and fifth time in his career. ... Morris is hitting .093 this year, which would be his worst year at the plate since 1998. ... Morris struck out 6.28 batters per nine innings in the first half. Since the All-Star break, that number is 4.39.
On deck
• Wednesday: vs. Astros, 7:10 p.m. CT
• Friday: vs. Reds, 7:10 p.m. CT
• Saturday: vs. Reds, 3:15 p.m. CT
• Sunday: vs. Reds, 1:15 p.m. CT
The final regular-season homestand at the current Busch Stadium gets started Tuesday night. And though the Cardinals can't change their playoff position in any way, it's still a significant game. The Astros are trying to nail down their second straight Wild Card and third in four years.
Matt Morris makes another run at win No. 15 on the year for St. Louis. The Cardinals have lost Morris' last five starts, but his last time out he showed distinct progress. Morris held the powerful Reds to an unearned run on one hit over six innings in receiving a no-decision. Morris has one start left after Tuesday -- he's slated to pitch the last regular-season game at the old ballpark.
The Astros will counter with workhorse Roy Oswalt, who has an outside shot at his second 20-win season. Oswalt has recovered from a shaky August to pitch like his usual outstanding self in September, going 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA over five starts this month. Over the years, the Cardinals have given Oswalt more trouble than most teams.
St. Louis has lost consecutive series for the first time all season. The Cardinals haven't dropped three series in a row since Sept. 6-16, 2004, when they lost sets to San Diego, the Dodgers and Houston.
Pitching matchup:
HOU: RHP Roy Oswalt
• 18-12, 2.91 ERA in 2005
• 0-2, 7.50 ERA vs. STL in 2005
STL: RHP Matt Morris
• 14-9, 3.97 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 3.60 ERA vs. HOU in 2005
Player to watch
Oswalt does a good job of keeping Albert Pujols in the park, but not off the bases. Pujols is a .368 hitter (14-for-38) against the Houston righty with three doubles, a home run and four walks.
Quotable
"It's a neat thing to see. It's good for them. It's good for us. It's a good team atmosphere." -- John Mabry, on the Cardinals' young players
On television
• HOU: FSN Southwest
• STL: FSN Midwest
On radio
• HOU: KTRH 740, KLAT (Español)
• STL: KMOX 1120
Quick hits
Mark Grudzielanek is hitting .318 with a .365 on-base percentage at home. ... Larry Walker, who may return to action on Tuesday, is hitting .293 with a .385 OBP and .486 slugging at home, as opposed to .208/.333/.434 on the road. ... If Morris can rack up 16 1/3 innings over his last two starts, he will reach 200 innings for the second straight year and fifth time in his career. ... Morris is hitting .093 this year, which would be his worst year at the plate since 1998. ... Morris struck out 6.28 batters per nine innings in the first half. Since the All-Star break, that number is 4.39.
On deck
• Wednesday: vs. Astros, 7:10 p.m. CT
• Friday: vs. Reds, 7:10 p.m. CT
• Saturday: vs. Reds, 3:15 p.m. CT
• Sunday: vs. Reds, 1:15 p.m. CT
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