Bats silent, then a big crash in left field

Not a fun night for the Redbirds or their fans.

Roy Oswalt was in rare form on the road. The Cardinal bats were quiet, except for Prince Albert's solo blast.

And then in the 8th inning Sir Reggie's fabulous post-season is jeopardize as he falls trying to make a catch on the warning track. Hopefully there's nothing broken, no concussion, and he can get back to being a one-man wrecking crew against the infidels in Texas.

Result: A 4-1 Astros victory and a split in the first home section of the best-of-seven series.

Next game: Saturday at that abomination known as Lemonaid Park with the short left field porch that even the Son of Oklahomilist (8th grader) can easily manage. But, you say, it's the same distance for both teams. True, but it's a definite advantage for the team that practices and plays in it constantly. Just watch the absurd swinging characteristics of the Houston batsmen when playing at home.

Is it any wonder they were tied for the second-best home record of any major league team? Does it help explain why they made the playoffs despite a 36-45 LOSING road record?

We freely admit to a touch of the worries. After last year's World Series, it's hard to be calm when your offense is flat.

A win in Game 3 would probably cure these jitters for good.