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Tigers, Cards Try To Put "dirtgate" Behind As Series Shifts To Busch

(Sports Network) - Chris Carpenter takes the hill for the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers this evening, as the World Series shifts to Busch Stadium for Game 3.

Carpenter, the NL's reigning Cy Young Award winner, suffered his first setback of the playoffs during his last start in Game 6 of the NLCS. He surrendered two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts over six innings to the New York Mets.

The 31-year-old right-hander actually struggled in the NLCS, as he allowed seven runs in 11 innings. However, he did win both of his NLDS starts against San Diego and the Cardinals have lost just one of his seven career postseason outings.

In 17 starts at home this season, Carpenter was 8-4 with a major league-best 1.81 earned run average.

Carpenter, who will be making his first-ever World Series appearance, has faced the Tigers 11 times in his career and is 3-4 with a 7.03 ERA lifetime against them.

Detroit will pin its hopes tonight on left-hander Nate Robertson, who is 1-1 with a 5.91 ERA this postseason. Robertson dropped Game 1 of the ALDS to the Yankees, but rebounded in Game 1 in the ALCS against the Athletics, as he scattered six hits over five scoreless innings to get the win.

Robertson, who has not pitched in two weeks, has never faced the Cardinals, but was 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four interleague outings this season.

In Game 2 of this series on Sunday, Kenny Rogers continued to amaze with his success this postseason, holding the Cardinals to two hits over eight shutout innings as Detroit picked up a 3-1 win to even this best-of-seven set at a game apiece.

Rogers, who has stretched his scoreless streak to 23 innings in this year's playoffs, allowed an infield single to Scott Rolen in the first inning and a base hit to Yadier Molina to start the eighth.

Despite the great performance, there was some controversy involving a substance found on Rogers' pitching hand in the first inning. Television cameras showed something brown on the left-hander's palm. After the game, Rogers said it was a combination of dirt and resin, mostly from rubbing baseballs. By the time he came out for the second inning, the residue appeared to have been wiped off.

Jim Edmonds doubled in the lone St. Louis run in the ninth inning, and the Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs against Todd Jones later in the frame. However, Molina grounded into a force play to end the contest.

Craig Monroe's home run and Carlos Guillen's run-scoring double set the tone in the first inning for the Tigers. Sean Casey added an RBI single in the fifth, while Guillen finished with three hits.

Jeff Weaver, who began his career in Detroit, was tagged with the loss and was lifted after allowing nine hits and three runs through five innings.

Weaver went 39-51 with the Tigers from 1999-2002.

Casey, who is 6-for-14 in his career against Carpenter, will start at first base tonight. He had been the team's designated hitter during the first two games. Carlos Guillen, who played first for Casey, will shift back to his usual shortstop position this evening.

One Tiger who needs to get going at the plate is catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who is hitless in his last 20 at-bats and is hitting just .135 this postseason.

With no DH tonight, St. Louis manager Tony La Russa has a decision to make as to who will play in left field. Preston Wilson is 5-for-5 with a pair of home runs in his career against Robertson and will likely get the nod.

The American League has won the last two Fall Classics with four-game sweeps and have claimed 10 World Series titles over the last 14 years.

Source: www.intwebnews.com

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Tigers, Cards Try To Put "dirtgate" Behind As Series Shifts To Busch

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