NLDS: Oswalt content to stay in the shadows

By wire services
Published October 8, 2005

HOUSTON - Roy Oswalt likes his position in the Astros' playoff rotation.

Back home for Game 3 and needing a victory to take control, the Astros finally get to their 20-game winner against the Braves. Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens started the first two games, which the teams split.

"I like those guys to get all the recognition, myself. I don't like to be the guy that stands out," Oswalt said Friday. "I like kind of sneaking up on guys instead of being out front."

That doesn't mean Oswalt, the first pitcher since 2001-02 with consecutive 20-win seasons, isn't a big-game pitcher. The right-hander just isn't enamored with the spotlight off the mound.

In his two starts in last year's playoff series against Atlanta, Oswalt allowed three runs over 111/3 innings. He won Game 5 to give Houston its first postseason series victory in eight tries.

Oswalt might be the third pitcher in the order, but Atlanta knows he's not a No.3 starter.

"He's just sinker, curveball. He comes right at you," second baseman Marcus Giles said. "It's pretty baffling. He has great stuff. He's right up there with the best of them, like A.J. Burnett and Clemens."

The Braves had 10 hits and nine runs (seven earned) over five innings May 6 in their only game against Oswalt this season. That during a four-game sweep when Atlanta also beat Pettitte, and when the Astros were still on the way to a 15-30 start.

Right-hander Jorge Sosa, a former Devil Ray, makes his first playoff start for the Braves, who converted the power reliever into a starter midway through the season to fill a spot in an injury-plagued rotation, and went 10-3.

CARINDALS-PADRES: Dave Roberts and his San Diego Padres will disappear without a trace from the playoffs unless they beat St. Louis in Game 3 tonight.

The Padres won the weak West with only 82 victories, and not many people gave them a chance against the Cardinals, who had baseball's best record and lead this series 2-0.

"You come in here and everyone's expecting us to lose three straight," Roberts said. "If we can win one game and maybe kind of put the pressure on them a little bit and win another game, then things can change.

"But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we need to win one game."

The most notable thing the Padres have done in this series is hit into seven double plays in the first two games in St. Louis.

"We haven't had a lead in two games," said Roberts, the center fielder.

The Padres will start right-hander Woody Williams, who made four postseason starts for the Cardinals last year, including Game 1 of the World Series.

"Something needs to spark us, and I think that we'll do something tomorrow night," Roberts said. "Whether it be a great play or a big hit, a two-out hit ... We need to get something like that to kind of get the momentum."

MULDER STILL SORE: St. Louis' Mark Mulder woke up at 4 a.m. with a throbbing arm after getting hit with a line drive Thursday.

Mulder expects to know more today once the swelling goes down, but he has no idea when he'll throw again - partly because it's unclear when he would pitch next week if the Cardinals advance to the championship series. Mulder said he can do most everything, but it still hurts to move his arm into a throwing position.

[Last modified October 8, 2005, 01:26:19]