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Swing game Counsell powers D'backs to Game 3 win, NLDS lead
Updated: Saturday October 13, 2001 2:47 AM
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- It has to be a comforting thought for the Arizona Diamondbacks, knowing they can wrap up their first-round playoff series without using Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson again. Manager Bob Brenly was prepared to use Schilling on three days' rest in Game 4 Saturday if the Diamondbacks trailed in their series against St. Louis and have Randy Johnson ready on short rest for Game 5. Instead, Craig Counsell's tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh inning led to a 5-3 victory Friday, putting the Diamondbacks on the brink of their first NL Championship Series. Schilling, who pitched a three-hit shutout in Game 1, will go on normal rest if a fifth game is played Sunday. In Game 4, Albie Lopez (9-19) faces rookie Bud Smith (6-3). "They know if they don't win, their season's over," said Luis Gonzalez, who homered in the sixth. "If they do win, they've got to go back and see Schilling."
The Cardinals didn't exactly beat up on Miguel Batista, either. Two days after his ninth-inning gaffe allowed St. Louis to score an insurance run in a 4-1 victory in Game 2 victory, Batista allowed two runs and three hits in six innings. "We've faced three great ones and they've faced three great ones," the Diamondbacks' Mark Grace said. "Miguel did a great job for us." Counsell's homer off Mike Matthews, who had held left-handed hitters to a .133 average with one homer in 98 at-bats, put the Diamondbacks ahead 5-2. Edgar Renteria homered for the Cardinals in the seventh, but they stranded four runners the last two innings. Jim Edmonds, who hit a two-run homer in the fourth, had a chance to rally St. Louis when he batted with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth. But Byung-Hyun Kim got him to fly out to deep center, and Edmonds hopped twice in frustration as he got to first base. "It got exciting," manager Tony La Russa said. "Edmonds had a great swing, he just got under it." Kim got in trouble again in the ninth when Kerry Robinson led off with a bunt single, took second on a wild pitch and Edgar Renteria walked. But Mike Matheny took a called third strike after failing twice to bunt, and slumping Mark McGwire, who didn't start for the second straight game, pinch hit and grounded to third, starting a game-ending double play. "I think you saw in the seventh, eighth and ninth what spirit we have," La Russa said. "We'll come out like gangbusters." Counsell was a big part of the Florida Marlins' Game 7 win over Cleveland in the 1997 World Series, tying the game with a ninth-inning sacrifice fly and scoring the winning run in the 11th on Renteria's hit.
"It's not the World Series, but it was a big hit for us, it was a huge hit for us," Counsell said. "It's one of my top two thrills, I'll give it that." Edmonds' homer, his fourth in his last 11 playoff games, gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead against Batista. In the top of the fourth, Edmonds had thrown out Grace when he tried to score from second on Steve Finley's two-out single. Cardinals starter Darryl Kile struck out five straight batters in the first and second, setting an NL Division Series record. But he didn't have a strikeout after that and gave up a sixth-inning homer to Gonzalez, who had been 0-for-10 in the series. Kile, who allowed two runs, three hits and five walks, was replaced by Matthews following a leadoff walk to Matt Williams in the seventh. "I was done," Kile said. "I just didn't have anything left in the gas tank, I guess." Travis Miller singled with one out and, following a forceout at the plate, pinch-hitter Greg Colbrunn singled to tie it. Counsell hit only four homers in 458 at-bats during the regular season. But his drive down the line on a 3-1 pitch, with Gonzalez on deck, easily cleared the right-field wall. "It wasn't a good pitch," Matthews said. "I didn't want to walk him because Gonzalez was on deck, so I made a bad pitch to him." Counsell wasn't sure it was gone when he hit it. "I don't think I hit any no-doubters," he said. "I thought I got it pretty good but seeing it go into the seats, I let out some emotion." After a single by Gonzalez, La Russa came out to the mound and was booed by the sellout crowd of 52,273 when he took the ball. After Mike Timlin relieved, La Russa was booed again when he walked back to the dugout.
Notes: Tony Orlando, standing in front of the center-field backdrop, led the crowd in singing God Bless America in the seventh-inning stretch. ... Gonzalez hit 57 homers in the regular season, 31 on the road. ... The Diamondbacks were 44-37 on the road in the regular season, third-best in the NL. ... Craig Paquette, who replaced Mark McGwire in the sixth slot for the second straight game, was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. He's 1-for-7 with five strikeouts in the series. ... Arizona was 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position after going 1-for-15 in the first two games. St. Louis was 1-for-7, dropping to 1-for-20.
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