St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa makes his way off the field during batting practice before Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the Texas Rangers Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa makes his way off the field during batting practice before Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the Texas Rangers Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Texas Rangers' Mike Napoli blows on his hands to warm up during batting practice before Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington hits some balls during batting practice before Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Texas Rangers' Adrian Beltre throws before Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is seen on the field before Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the Texas Rangers Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Game 6 is under way, and the Cardinals are in immediate trouble.
St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia issues a leadoff walk to Ian Kinsler before Elvis Andrus singles to left-center, sending Kinsler to third. Josh Hamilton follows with an RBI single.
With runners at the corners, Garcia buckled down. He struck out Michael Young and Adrian Beltre before Nelson Cruz grounded out. Texas leads 1-0.
That's already more than the Rangers managed against Garcia in Game 2, when he yielded only three hits in seven shutout innings while striking out seven.
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Clear skies in St. Louis tonight, after Game 6 of the World Series was postponed a day because of rain. The temperature is 56 degrees with little wind. Not a bad night to play ball.
Much has been made about who would pitch for the Cardinals in a potential Game 7. The rainout gives manager Tony La Russa a chance to bring back ace Chris Carpenter on three days' rest if he wants. But they have to get there first, and nobody is more aware of that than La Russa. He refused to look beyond Game 6 during his pregame news conference today.
On the mound, it's a rematch of the Game 2 pitching duel between Garcia and Texas right-hander Colby Lewis. Both were outstanding last time out, and the Rangers rallied in the ninth inning for a 2-1 victory.
Garcia is at his best in Busch Stadium, while Lewis has been Texas' most reliable postseason starter the past two years. He is 4-1 with a 2.22 ERA in seven starts, and it was Lewis who threw a gem to close out the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the 2010 AL championship series.
He gets another shot at a clincher tonight.
Regardless of the Game 5 phone fiasco, the Cardinals have been let down by the deep bullpen that carried them into the Series. But they also need to get their big bats going.
Albert Pujols is 0 for 12 besides his record-setting outburst in Game 3, when he had three homers, five hits, six RBIs and 14 total bases. Lance Berkman is batting .389, but he's struck out seven times and has only two RBIs. Matt Holliday is 3 for 18 (.167) without an RBI, and leadoff man Rafael Furcal is 3 for 20 (.150).
First pitch coming up at 8:05 p.m. EDT as the Rangers try to win their first World Series crown. St. Louis hopes to force the first decisive Game 7 since 2002.
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