NLCS: Cards vs. Mets - Game 5

FOX Broadcasting Team:
Play-by-Play: Joe Buck
Analysts: Tim McCarver and Luis Gonzalez
Reporter: Ken Rosenthal

On ESPN's Around the Horn, Jay Mariotti calls it for us. Tim Cowlishaw calls for a game 7. Woody Paige says that TLR has outmanaged Randolph and that we'll win tonight. J.A. Adande thinks we'll lose. Tony Kornheiser on Pardon the Interruption chose the Cardinals since he knows trainer Barry Weinberg. Dan Le Betard, filling in for Mike Wilbon, chose the Mets. ESPN was horrible this postseason.

Chris Carpenter starts against John Maine. Both picked up no-decisions during Game 2 at Shea Stadium this past Friday. If Carpenter's cutter is there, the game is over.

Lineups
Cardinals
David Eckstein SS
Scott Spiezio LF
Albert Pujols 1B
Jim Edmonds CF
Juan Encarnacion RF
Scott Rolen 3B
Ronnie Belliard 2B
Yadier Molina C
Chris Carpenter P

Mets
Jose Reyes SS
Paul Lo Duca C
Carlos Beltran CF
Carlos Delgado 1B
David Wright 3B
Shawn Green RF
John Valentin 2B
Endy Chavez LF
John Maine P

FOX's pregame starts out with The Killers' "All These Things That I've Done." As usual, the pregame show is hosted by Jeanne Zelasko and Kevin Kennedy. It's a quarter after, so we head over to the booth where Jon, Tim and Luis are calling the game.

T1: Eckstein leads the inning off to a large amount of booing. The pitch is in there for a strike and we are underway. Eckstein grounds out to to Wright. Spiezio gets a base hit to right center. The booing continues as Pujols step up to the plate. Pujols takes the first pitch for strike 1. Ball 1. Ball 2. Fouled it back, the count moves to 2-2. Lined fair down the line. Albert's in there for a a single (he advanced on the throw to second) and we have both runners in scoring position. Jimmy's up to bat and he goes down on strikes. That brings up Encarnacion. Bases loaded and Juan gets drilled. Rolen's up. He flies out to Green in right with three left on.

B1: Reyes. Not cool. Reyes goes yard. Carp should make up for that bad pitch. Lo Duca flies out to Jimmy. Beltran grounds out to Pujols. Delgado flies out to Spiezio but the damage is done. Mets 1, Cards 0.

T2: Belliard flies out to Chavez in left. Molina grounds out to first. Carpenter. The count is at 3-2 and Tony thought it was ball 4. Oquendo thought it was ball 3 or 4. The umpires will conference. It's stll 3-2. It's moot now with a flyout to right.

B2: Wright grounds out to Scott Rolen. Green gets a base hit. It should be noted that when the Mets lose, he hits around .150, and he hits .350 when they win. Valentin grounds into a inning-ending double play.

Arwurth points out this good omen at VEB.

T3: Eckstein gets on with a walk. Eckstein steals a base. Spiezio strikes out despite the stolen base. Pujols is up. My guess is that with 1B open, Pujols will be intentionally walked. Edmonds flies out and Eckstein tags up and runners on the corners. Encarnacion goes down swinging. Once again, the Cards leave runners on at the end of an inning.

B3: Chavez just beats the throw on a bunting hit. Maine bunts foul for a strikeout. Reyes grounds to first and the only play is at second since Reyes is so fast. Reyes steals and Yadier throws to second. Belliard doesn't get a good grip on the ball and rolls over Reyes as a result. Lo Duca grounds to third.

T4: Rolen flies out to right center. Belliard goes down on strikes. Molina walks. Carpenter grounds out to first.

B4: In other news, if there is a game 7, expect Oliver Perez to start. Beltran found a hole and singles. Delgado hammers one to Jimmy. Wright singles to center. Runners at first and second. A double play will end the inning. Green grounds just past Eckstein and the Mets are now up 2-0. Runners are on first and second. Valentin flies out to Spiezio in left. Chavez grounds into a forceout at second. Mets 2, Cards 0

T5: Eckstein grounds out to Maine, who almost let it get away. Spiezio pops up to Reyes in shallow center. Unless we got a rally started, we're going to be playing tomorrow night in Game 7. Pujols goes down on strikes.

Chris Duncan or Preston Wilson should have started at the pace we're going today. This is absolutely pathetic. The Cardinals have four more innings to do something.

B5: Maine goes down looking. Reyes hits it to left and is held at first with a single. Lo Duca grounds out to second. Beltran grounds out to short.

T6: Edmonds takes a leadoff walk. Encarnacion flies out to the late-breaking Chavez. Maine is finished for the night and will likely be replaced by Chad Bradford. Rolen grounds into an inning-ending double play.

B6: Delgado pops up to short. Wright checks his swing and strikes out. Green strikes out looking.

The Cardinals have not producced today. Carpenter's been very effective but our offense just isn't there. Braden Looper is warming up in the pen.

T7: Belliard goes up the middle with a base hit. Molina flares one in to center. Chris Duncan will PH for Carpenter and Pedro Feliciano Guillermo Mota will come in now. Duncan grounds into a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play.

It's stretch time and it doesn't look good for the Cardinals. That said, the last time Carpenter pitched, So Taguchi hit the game winning home run in the top of the 9th inning.

B7: Braden "The Vulture" Looper is now in for the Cardinals and getting booed. Valentin bunts out to Looper. Chavez slapped that one to Spiezio in left. Batting in the pitcher's spot for Mota is Michael Tucker. Spiezio just missed that catch and Tucker gets on. It's ruled a base hit instead of an error. Reyes comes up for what could be the final time. Tucker steals 2nd on a bad throw by Molina. Full count to Reyes, and Eckstein saves a run at the fringe but no outs are made. Reyes steals second and no throw is made. Lo Duca hits it up the middle and it's now 4-0. Tyler Johnson is now in to face Beltran. And that'll be the error. Beltran safe at first. Delgado grounds out to Pujols and the inning finally ends.

Aaron Heilman is warming up for the Mets and likely to come in.

T8: Eckstein grounds to Delgado. Spiezio pops up to short. Pujols gets a bases empty base hit. Here comes Jimmy Edmonds, who goes down on strikes.

B8: Wright pops up to Pujols in foul territory. Green singles. Valentin grounds to third, advancing Green to second. Chavez grounds out to Pujols.

T9: Billy Wagner is now in for the Mets. Encarnacion starts a rally with a base hit to lead off the ninth. Rolen needs to come through with a big hit or risk being benched tomorrow. He came through in the 9th with a double. Runners in scoring position. Belliard grounds out. Molina flies to right. Batting for the pitcher is So Taguchi. So Taguchi is now 4-4 in the postseason with 2 home runs and four RBIs. Taguchi has a two-bagger. Eckstein, the tying run, is at the plate. Eckstein grounds out to second and we'll see you tomorrow night.