Game 3 of the World Series

Good night.

From earlier

Welcome to Game 3 of the World Series from my living room.

Kyle Lohse pitches for the Cardinals while Matt Harrison goes for the Rangers in this pivotal game in what is now a best-of-5 series. Lance Berkman will be the Cardinals' DH with Allen Craig moving into right field. Ryan Theriot will play second and bat ninth.

Enjoy the game, feel free to post comments.

I'll post top down to be easier to refresh.

WRAP UP

Game 3 will be remembered for Albert Pujols' three home runs, a missed call on a double play and a guy getting kicked out for throwing a ball at Matt Holliday, who threw out a runner at the plate earlier in the game with the Cards leading by 2.

Before the series Texas' three lefty starters were the one thing that kept me from picking the Cardinals to win. After all, the Cards were 20-20 in games started by lefties during the regular season and made guys like Bud Norris look like Cy Young. Now, they've won both games started by a lefty and could very well be up 3-0 in the series if not for a missed cutoff.

Pujols answered all the questions from the media with three big swings, five hits, six RBIs and four runs.

The Cards won an AL-style game to take the series lead and assured that -- if they need it -- they can play back home Wednesday night.

The Rangers, meanwhile, are hoping to get back to St. Louis and have led for just one inning, really just a half-inning.

NINTH

Pujols up against Darren Oliver. And he crushes a 2-2 pitch into the left-field gap. He ties Reggie Jackson and Babe Ruth with a three-homer night in the World Series. By the way, Ruth did it twice.

Cards up 16-7.

Boggs in to close it out and he does 1-2-3.

Cardinals win 16-7, take 2-1 lead in the series with Game 4 tomorrow night.

EIGHTH

For the record the LF Guy is NOT the same as Steve Bartman. This is already a topic on Twitter and this always drives me nuts. Bartman did nothing wrong. He reached for a foul ball without leaving the stands. Bartman didn't end the Cubs' chances that inning, it was the error by the shortstop. Bartman didn't start Game 7 on the mound for the Cubs.

Cards single-game postseason record for runs score breaks mark for runs score and Yadi adds to it with an RBI. Cards up 15-7.

Before tonight, Pujols had one home run and two RBIs in 11 World Series games. Tonight he has two homers and five RBIs.

End of the 8th, 15-7 Cards

SEVENTH

Pujols just went deep again for a 2-run homer. Cards up 14-6.

Time to stretch ...

Pujols is making a statement in this one -- this is how you lead. This is how you make up for making a mistake.

Holliday makes a catch on a fly ball and a Whiffle ball is thrown in his direction. What's with that always happening to Cardinals? Remember LA's Ball Night a couple of years ago that ended with fans throwing them onto the field?

The Cubs are searching for that fan to give him a pitching contract. That may have been the dumbest thing ever. How much did he pay for front row seats and it's only the seventh inning of a slugfest. Let's say he paid $500 for that seat, that's $71 an inning or $25 per run scored.

Maybe he was hoping for an ESPN film in 10 years.

End of seventh, Cards up 14-7.

SIXTH

Pujols goes DEEEEEEP to Ft. Worth. Cards up 11-6 after a 3-run homer. Think the media will want to talk to him after the game?

Bases loaded with one out for Yadi ... sac fly scores Holliday, Cards up 12-6.

That's more than the Rams seem to score this season.

This game has officially goes past our regular deadline to make the Sunday edition. Had we not had an early press run today, I'd be having a heart attack trying to figure out what to put in the big blank spot on page 1B. Hope the newsroom in Cape is having fun. We went with a nice story about Adam Wainwright.

Wow a 0 in the bottom half inning, 12-6 Cards

FIFTH

Cards load bases with nobody out for Freese ... He breaks bat and it goes farther than the ball, avoiding DP and allowing a run to score. Yadi hits a double to score two, Cards up 8-3.

Here come the Rangers right back. Salas gets hook for Lynn.

Who needs a win bigger? Rams tomorrow or Cards tonight?

I'll say Rams because the Cardinals would only be down 2-1 and the Rams really need a win. Without Sam Bradford on the road, that would sure be a nice start.

Meanwhile, Game 3 may not end until Sunday morning.

Bases loaded, two outs, Cards up 8-6 ... Lynn gets a pop out to short to end the inning.

FOURTH

Pujols gets his first hit of the Series.

Cards GIDP only to be called safe at first when the throw pulls first baseman off the bag. Berkman singles, Holliday moves to second.

Freese doubles down the right-field line, scores Holliday. Ranger fans upset that Holliday wasn't called out at first on missed call.

Walk of Molina loads bases for Jay, who hits little dribbler to first, his throw home misses mark allowing two runs to score, Cards up 4-0.

TheRiot singles to left for another run and puts runners at the corners.

Note to Ranger fans, the missed call at first not as bad as Game 6 in 1985. Just saying, there's still six innings and it's only Game 3.

"Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" trailer comes on. Jen: I don't think I want to see it. We saw the original from Sweden made in 2009 and that one was very good.

After you already seen the original, don't see the necessity of it is.

Me: For people who don't like to read at the movies.

Jen: I don't really care for subtitles either but it was a good movie.

Cards up 5-0 but Young goes yard to star the bottom half ... followed by a single. It seems the Rangers have awaken. Cruz goes deep for a 2-run shot, cut Cards lead to 5-3.

Jen: Your picture on semoball makes you look old.

She's not the best color man in the business for nothing. On the other hand, Tim chimes in with ... "This Ranger team can strike like cobras"

Lohse is pulled for Salas ... it doesn't stop the bleeding.

GREAT THROW by HOLLIDAY to throw out a runner at the plate for a DP to end the inning.

After 4, Cards lead 5-3.

THIRD

TheRiot reaches on an error but Cards GIDP for the 1,374th time this season.

@MLBNetwork on Twitter says that no runner has stolen a base off the Lohse-Molina combination this season.

After 3, Cardinals lead 1-0. Who thinks this one will finish 1-0?

SECOND

Harrison goes 1-2-3 in the top half.

It's a rare Saturday night off for me. We put the paper to bed early for our annual Progress edition. While that means not getting in the story for Game 3, it means I get to be home with the family. Plus, with our regular deadline it's a 50-50 shot that we would actually get the game story in the paper anyway.

Jen and Jack, meanwhile, were at a swim meet today (Jack won three races and finished second in another by less than a second). Jack is picking the Rangers tonight because he shares the last name with Texas' starting pitcher.

Jen just spotted former President Bush and his wife.

What's more interesting, the fact that the Rangers are 1-for-7 with RISP or that they've only had seven at-bats with RISP through two games. ... make it 1-for-8. ... 1-for-9.

After two, Cards lead 1-0.

FIRST

Warmer weather, will it mean more offense?

Yep. Craig for a home run to put the Cardinals up 1-0. That was a BOMB.

1-2-3 bottom half for Lohse includes a pair of strike outs and an introduction from Joe Buck of Lohse's arm tattoo.