HOUSTON - It was obvious by the wrapping on his left hand that Cardinals reliever Julian Tavarez paid a price for the hissy fit he threw in Game 4 after allowing Carlos Beltran 's winning home run.
St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said Tavarez broke his ring finger and fifth metacarpal when he punched a dugout phone.
"I ducked," La Russa joked before Monday's Game 5. "I don't think he would have broken it if it was me he hit."
Tavarez declined comment. La Russa said the right-hander will wear a splint and should be able to pitch. He also said Tavarez's loss of composure will not impact decisions to use him in future pressure situations.
"I look at why he lost his composure," La Russa said. "The score is 5-5 and he gave up a home run that put them ahead. I'm not saying that I pat him on the back for going out of control, but I would pat him on the back for caring enough to get upset."
It was only the third home run Tavarez allowed this season.
"You just pull him aside and tell him, "I don't care how much it hurts, you can't go crazy. But I'm glad it hurts,"' La Russa said.
AN APOLOGY: The Astros said they regretted showing on the stadium scoreboard a replay of Tavarez's tantrum.
"We showed poor judgment," spokesman Jerry Lucas said. "We will never put anything on the board to embarrass the other team ever again. For that we apologize."
IS CLEMENS READY?: Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker said Game 3 winner Roger Clemens would pitch Wednesday's Game 6 on three days rest if the Astros lost Game 5. A win would put Pete Munro on the mound.
Houston manager Phil Garner said nothing was in stone.
"It's a difficult call because the numbers suggest that it doesn't work as much as you'd like for it to," Garner said. "It's very tempting when your back is to a wall to say, "Tonight we'll use Clemens,' when he's available and willing."
HEAVY HITTERS: Beltran is having a remarkable postseason. But La Russa said the No.2 hitter in the Astros order gets a big boost from Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman , who hit third and fourth.
"You have some very tough outs, a lot of producers behind him," La Russa said.
Beltran agreed.
"Having ( Craig ) Biggio in front of me and having Bagwell behind me, I think it's great," he said. "I have a lot of protection. They're pitching to me and I'm trying to take advantage of that."
Bagwell has struggled in the series and entered Monday batting .231. But Berkman was at .467 with three home runs and eight RBIs, and No.5 hitter Jeff Kent had two home runs.
La Russa said he will keep pitching to Beltran, who was batting .538 (7-for-13) with four home runs and five RBIs.
"We don't like telling our players they're not good enough to get hitters out," La Russa said.
ODDS AND ENDS: The Cardinals had not made a postseason error in eight games entering Monday. ... St. Louis' 152 playoff games are third all-time behind the Yankees' 325 and Dodgers' 154.
