Five things to watch in tonight's World Series Game 3

	Embattled Houston closer Brad Lidge loosened up Monday at Minute Maid Park. AP

HOUSTON -- Five points to ponder before Game 3 of the World Series tonight. Chicago's Jon Garland faces Houston's Roy Oswalt with the White Sox leading the Astros 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

The Story of O

It's not been Texan Roger Clemens. It's not been Texan Andy Pettitte. The postseason pitching backbone for the Astros, the one who has held them up all the way to the World Series, is a guy with a different kind of accent, a low-key Mississippian who has a mid-90s fastball, pinpoint control and is the only 20-game winner in each of the past two seasons.

How much do the Astros need Oswalt right now?

More than they ever have before.

Oswalt has become the veritable definition of a stopper. Both of his wins in the National League Championship Series (in which he was named MVP), as well as his only start in the division series (another win), came after Houston losses. Oswalt is 3-0 this postseason with a 2.11 ERA.

Against the White Sox, the Astros need Oswalt to do what he did against the Cardinals, Braves and just about every other opponent he faced this season. That is, pound the corners with fastballs, give the Astros some solid innings (he's gone at least seven innings in every postseason start, and he had 25 quality starts this season, fourth in the NL) -- and bring home a win.

Some are concerned about all the work that Oswalt has put in. Counting his three postseason starts, he's up to 263 innings pitched. That's a lot of innings.

But all the Astros need Tuesday night in Game 3 is seven or eight more good ones. That should be enough to get the Astros back in this Series.

The Closers

We knew, before Game 2 of the Series, that Houston closer Brad Lidge could be had. The Cardinals' Albert Pujols proved that last week with a 712-foot eagle off Lidge in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the NLCS.

Lidge, of course, silver-plated another game-winning homer in Game 2 of the Series on Sunday, a bottom-of-the-ninth blast from slappy Scott Podsednik that won the game for the White Sox, 7-6. But Lidge, if it's any consolation to him or Astros fans, is not alone in this latest bout of closing ineptitude. Chicago's young fireman, as Game 2 showed, can be had, too.

Bobby Jenks, the chubby ChiSox closer, gave up a single to Jeff Bagwell in the top of the ninth inning, walked Chris Burke in a savvy, in-control, absolutely critical at-bat for the Houston rookie and then, with two outs, Jenks left a first-pitch fastball over the outside portion of the plate that pinch-hitter Jose Vizcaino wisely poked the opposite way for a two-run, game-tying single.

Jenks had been a practical royal flush for the Sox; when he came in, everyone folded. Opponents swung wildly at his 100 mph heat no matter where it was -- and, often, the stuff was helmet-high.

After Sunday, though, the Astros seem to have a better idea of how to deal with Jenks. He no longer is considered unhittable.

In fact, he may be just as hittable as Lidge.