St. Louis Post-Dispatch
September 30, 2001

Morris Puts Cardinals on Houston's Heels

By Rick Hummel

The Cardinals, already solidly entrenched as the leading wild-card contenders, suddenly find themselves in the bidding for their second successive National League Central Division championship.

This comes as no surprise to pitcher Matt Morris, who gained his 21st win Saturday with an eight-inning, five-hit effort in a 2-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium.

"We're playing like we should be," said Morris. "This is what we expect. We're not playing and saying, 'Wow, look how good we are now.' This is how we should have been all year."

Morris, who won for a club-record 15th time at home this season, lowered his earned run average in St. Louis to 1.58.

The Astros lost to the Cubs in Chicago 6-2 on Saturday, so the Cards are only two games behind Houston in the NL Central. The Cardinals still are three games ahead of San Francisco in the wild-card race with only seven games remaining for both teams.

The Cardinals, winning their fourth successive game and 13th in their last 15, have three games at home next weekend against the Astros.

Whoever wins the Central Division could end up with the best record in the league and thus earn home-field advantage for all playoff rounds, including the World Series, where the National League has an assigned advantage already.

Manager Tony La Russa would take this scenario only so far. "Divisionally speaking, we need to accumulate wins so that we can play in the final eight," he said.

Saturday's game lasted a season-low 2 hours 4 minutes, but the 39,782 spectators were not deprived of excitement.

Cardinals second baseman Fernando Vina provided half the offense with a fifth-inning home run off Dave Williams and was on the throwing end of the game's final play, a ground ball hit by Rob Mackowiak with a runner at second.

Reliever Gene Stechschulte, who gained his sixth save in eight opportunities, thought the ball was going directly to first baseman Mark McGwire. But McGwire was guarding the line.

When the ball got by McGwire, many pitchers would have run to home plate to back up a throw from right field. But Stechschulte broke quickly to first base and took an on-target throw from Vina, who had made a sliding stop.

"That game was won with that play," said La Russa.

Said Vina, "Stech really helped by getting over there. I like making t hose plays. You just try to catch him on the run, like a guy throwing a football. I practice on that. At that point, I'm so fired up, I'm ready to throw a strike."

Added La Russa, "Our second baseman played like a Gold Glover today - and a Silver Slugger."

Reigning Gold Glove center fielder Jim Edmonds and catcher Mike Matheny both had terrific games, considering that each was nothing for three at bat.

Edmonds made a majestic diving catch in right-center-field to rob Brian Giles in the fourth inning. "I knew it was going to be an off-speed pitch," said Edmonds. "I cheated over a little and the ball's kind of staying up in the wind."

In the second inning, Edmonds participated in a textbook run.

After Albert Pujols snapped a 0-for-16 skid with a double, Edmonds hit a right-side groundout, advancing Pujols to third. And Mark McGwire's sacrifice fly scored a sliding Pujols. "Right now, it's all about winning," said Edmonds.

With the Cardinals ahead 2-0 in the eighth and with Pittsburgh having ru nners at first and second and no one out, Jack Wilson missed getting a bunt down on strike one. Matheny then gunned down Mendy Lopez, who had strayed too far from second.

Morris, in his final act, then got Wilson to ground into a double play.

The Cardinals are 13-3 against the Pirates, but the Cardinals won most of those to start the season, taking the first seven games.

Morris said the Pirates were playing hard, but added, "That's their job. They're paid to do that."

He added, "We've got Milwaukee and one more against Pittsburgh, teams we should beat. And we've got to go out and beat them."

Morris is 15-2 at home and 6-6 with a 5.50 ERA on the road. "In my opinion, it doesn't have anything to do with home and road," La Russa said. "Matt Morris can pitch anywhere."