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Quick end to suspense

GIANTS 9, CARDINALS 6: Tempers run as hot as San Francisco bats.

By KEVIN KELLY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 10, 2002

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals trotted out legends Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Lou Brock and Ozzie Smith and invited the 52,175 fans to sing the national anthem a cappella before Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.

That was the loudest it got Wednesday at Busch Stadium, until both benches and bullpens cleared in the fifth inning when Giants centerfielder Kenny Lofton bailed from a high-and-tight fastball thrown by reliever Mike Crudale.

But even Gibson in his prime might have found it difficult containing a Giants offense that came out swinging in a 9-6 win, a victory that couldn't dissipate some hard feelings.

"We're up 1-0 and still have potentially six games to go," San Francisco manager Dusty Baker said. "As far as drawing a line in the sand or whatever, our team's slogan is, 'We don't start nothin'.' We don't take nothin' either."

The Giants had a 6-1 lead by the end of the third and knocked St. Louis starter Matt Morris out by the fifth. In arguably his worst performance of the season, Morris allowed seven runs on 10 hits, gave up two homers and walked four in 41/3 innings.

In a game in which neither starting pitcher looked particularly sharp, the right-hander allowed one run and walked three in the first, allowed four runs on six hits in the second and gave up a homer to Lofton in the third that prompted the chin music from Crudale in his next at-bat.

Lofton noticeably watched his homer go into the rightfield stands before trotting around the bases, yet he took exception when Crudale retaliated with the high and inside fastball.

"Throwing at a hitter for a purpose, great," Giants shortstop Rich Aurilia said. "Don't throw it at that person's head. That's not right."

St. Louis catcher Mike Matheny stood between Crudale and the 6-foot, 180-pound Lofton when Giants players ran from the dugout onto the field. Cardinals players followed, as did members of both bullpens, and the groups gathered near home plate.

"I don't think I did anything wrong," Lofton said. "First of all this is the playoffs, and no lead is comfortable. So, no, I didn't overreact."

Said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa: "That was very unnecessary. He's just trying to change the way the game is played and not have anybody pop him inside."

There was a lot of shoving, but no punches were thrown. Baker and La Russa argued with each other away from the action.

"I was surprised," Aurilia said. "I turned around and guys were coming out of the dugout. Cooler heads prevailed and I think they will for the rest of the series."

Warnings were issued to both benches, but nobody was ejected and Lofton flew out to centerfield for the second out.

"Dusty said it didn't look good," La Russa said.

Whether by design or not, the skirmish awoke the Cardinals.

In the bottom of the inning, centerfielder Jim Edmonds doubled to rightfield and leftfielder Albert Pujols homered to center to make it 7-3.

After a two-run homer by Giants catcher Benito Santiago in the sixth inning made it 9-3, the Cardinals again got a two-run homer to pull within four.

This time it was Miguel Cairo.

For the former Rays second baseman, who started in place of injured third baseman Scott Rolen on Wednesday, it was his seventh hit in seven postseason at-bats. He now has five RBIs.

St. Louis pinch-hitter J.D. Drew homered in the eighth off reliever Tim Worrell to make it 9-6.

Barry Bonds also continued to distance himself from the offensive woes that defined his postseason career entering these playoffs. The leftfielder was on base four times in five plate appearances with three walks and a two-run triple in the second and scored two runs, yet blended in with his teammates.

Starting against the team he grew up rooting for, San Francisco pitcher Kirk Rueter was better in his second postseason start this season. The left-hander from nearby Nashville, Ill., allowed five runs over six innings.

San Francisco, if history holds true, took an all-important step toward making its first World Series appearance since 1989 as the past nine NL champions have won the first game of the LCS.

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