Posted on 10/03/2003 1:31:08 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
Game 3 Live Thread...On My Home Turf...Florida
Game 3 Preview: Marlins vs. Giants
Giants' concern: Marlins' 1-2 punch
Friday, October 3, 2003
By Steven Wine The Associated Press
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MIAMI — The first two games of the playoffs have shown the San Francisco Giants how to beat the Florida Marlins: Keep Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo off base. It's easier said than done.
San Francisco succeeded in Game 1, when Pierre and Castillo went a combined 0-for-8 as Jason Schmidt shut out Florida 2-0.
But in Game 2, the Marlins' pesky little rally-starters came to life. Pierre and Castillo totaled five hits, and the Marlins won 9-5 to earn the split they wanted at Pac Bell Park.
Now the series moves Friday to Miami, where Pierre, Castillo and the Marlins' largest crowd since Game 7 of the 1997 World Series await.
More than 58,000 fans are expected in support of a team that a month ago was drawing barely 10,000. The roar from the burgeoning bandwagon is likely to be deafening when crowd favorite Pierre steps into the batter's box in the first inning against Kirk Rueter, with Castillo on deck.
"The 1-2 guys have been the catalysts for our team," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "They get on base and raise havoc. They're very important to our offense. Just look at our box scores."
In Wednesday's come-from-behind victory, Pierre went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, three RBIs and a stolen base. Castillo added a single and an RBI.
The duo jump-started an offense that totaled 15 hits and pressured the Giants into three uncharacteristic defensive lapses.
"If they get on, we're going to score some runs," McKeon said. "If they don't get on, we're in trouble."
It's been that way all season, and usually Pierre and Castillo get on. Center fielder Pierre hit .305, scored 100 runs and led the major leagues with 65 steals. Second baseman Castillo batted .314, scored 99 runs and had 21 steals.
"The speed they have — you're lucky to have one guy like that on a team," said Mark Redman, Florida's starting pitcher Friday. "We're fortunate to have two."
Shutting down the Pierre-Castillo combo the way Schmidt did is difficult. One or both reached base by hit, walk or hit batsman in all but six of the 151 regular-season games they started together.
And Rueter's not Schmidt. Pierre and Castillo are each 8-for-21 (.381) lifetime against Rueter, and Castillo has three triples off the left-hander.
"They remind me of the teams I grew up watching in St. Louis with Vince Coleman and Ozzie Smith and those guys," Rueter said. "They're very important to the Marlins' success — getting on base and causing havoc on the basepaths and letting their big guys come up and knock them in."
While the Marlins are set at the top of the order, both clubs may tweak their lineup.
McKeon said he'll decide Friday whether to start All-Star third baseman Mike Lowell, who hasn't batted since his left hand was broken by a pitch Aug. 30. Lowell was activated last Sunday and would replace rookie Miguel Cabrera, who is 0-for-8 in the series with four strikeouts.
Giants manager Felipe Alou said he might start 42-year-old Andres Galarraga at first base. He has 22 career homers against Florida.
"In this ballpark, Galarraga has hit a few bombs," Alou said.
To avoid a return trip to San Francisco for a decisive Game 5, the Marlins want to sweep the two games in Miami. And their record suggests they have a shot.
Florida was 53-28 at home this season, third-best in the National League. And recently, as the crowds have gotten bigger, the Marlins have played even better. They've won 16 of their past 19 home games.
The Marlins averaged 16,290 fans per game at Pro Player Stadium this season, ahead of only Montreal in the NL. But the crowds topped 25,000 for each of the final six home games, and a total of more than 110,000 are expected for the two playoff games.
"The guys love the fans coming out supporting us," Redman said. "I don't know if the fans understand that when they do get loud, it's tough for the opposing pitcher to concentrate, especially if it goes ball one, ball two, with the crowd getting louder and louder. Our hitters get pumped up. It's great."
Florida appears to have the edge in the Game 3 pitching matchup. Redman, acquired last offseason from baseball purgatory in Detroit, showed his appreciation with the best season of his four-year career, going 14-9 with a 3.59 ERA.
Rueter spent two stints on the disabled list this season with a sore shoulder and started the only game the Giants lost to Florida in six regular-season meetings. He went 10-5 with a 4.53 ERA.
Florida has an apparent edge Saturday, too, with rookie sensation Dontrelle Willis (14-6) scheduled to face Jerome Williams (7-5). Alou said he might start Schmidt on three days' rest Saturday if the Giants lose Friday.
But their situation is hardly hopeless. Their 43-37 road record was third-best in the NL. And they were the only team to sweep a series from the Marlins in Miami, going 3-0 this year at Pro Player Stadium.
"You can't worry about home field advantage," slugger Barry Bonds said. "If you can't win on the road, you shouldn't be playing."
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