St. Louis @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 20, 2011 ) Texas 2, St. Louis 1

THE STORY: The Texas Rangers avoided a potentially devastating two-game deficit with a historic rally in Game 2 and now seek to take a 2-1 lead in the World Series when they host the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. Texas scored two ninth-inning runs for a 2-1 victory on Thursday to even the series and become only the third team in World Series history to overcome a 1-0 deficit in the ninth inning or later and win the contest. The Rangers have the homefield advantage the next three games after splitting two games in St. Louis.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, Fox.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Kyle Lohse (14-8, 3.39 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Matt Harrison (14-9, 3.39 ERA)

Lohse is 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA over 9 2/3 innings in two postseason starts. He is 3-3 with a 6.66 ERA in 12 career appearances (nine starts) against Texas. Lohse has allowed eight homers and has a 6.75 ERA in 28 career innings at Rangers Ballpark. Michael Young has three homers in 30 career at-bats against Lohse.

Harrison is 1-0 with a 4.22 ERA in three postseason appearances and allowed two runs in five innings in each of his two postseason starts. He has never pitched against St. Louis and most of the Cardinals’ starting players have never faced him.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS: With the series shifting to Texas and the designated hitter being used, Allen Craig will be in the starting lineup somewhere. Craig had the game-winning pinch hit in Game 1 and drove in the Cardinals’ only run in Game 2 with another pinch-hit single. David Freese scored the St. Louis run and extended his postseason hitting streak to 12 straight games. Albert Pujols is hitless in six at-bats. Jason Motte blew the save in Game 2 after converting five straight postseason opportunities.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: Sacrifice flies by Josh Hamilton and Young accounted for the two ninth-inning runs in Game 2 by Texas. Hamilton is 0-for-7 while being plagued by a groin injury. ALCS hero Nelson Cruz is just 1-for-6 in the World Series. Ian Kinsler had two hits in each of the first two games and had a key stolen base in the ninth inning of Game 2. The Rangers have just two extra-base hits – a homer by Mike Napoli and a double by Adrian Beltre.

FINAL PITCH: The Cardinals and Rangers combined for just a total of eight runs in the National League ballpark – four by each team.