ST. LOUIS, MI (AP) -- The opening game of the World Series is set for tonight with the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals serving as host. Following the first two games in the Gateway City, the series will shift to Arlington, Texas, home of the American League champion Texas Rangers.
The first-game pitching matchup has C.J. Wilson toeing the rubber for the Rangers against Chris Carpenter of the Cards. This will be Wilson's third straight Game 1 playoff start this post season, and he is looking for his first win. A year ago he was the loser in Game 2 of the World Series to San Francisco.
Carpenter is out for a franchise-record eighth career postseason victory. In his only other World Series start, Carpenter pitched eight shutout innings to win Game 3 of the 2006 Fall Classic for the Cards when they beat Detroit. The Cardinals have the home advantage in the Series because the National League won the All-Star game in July 5-1. Game 2 will be played in Busch Stadium Thursday night with Friday a travel day to Texas before a resumption of play Saturday.
The weather forecast is calling for temperatures in the upper 40s with a chance of rain and wind for the World Series opener.The wind chill is expected to drop into the upper 30s as Game 1 progresses. It was in the mid-50s as the teams took batting practice Tuesday at Busch Stadium, though some players wore ski caps.
It's been damp before in St. Louis during the World Series. A 2006 game against Detroit was postponed by rain, and there was rain in 2004 against Boston.
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