BOSTON – It was just one game but it was an ugly one for the St. Louis Cardinals, who will be looking to bounce back from last nights 8-1 defeat to the Red Sox in the World Series opener. A lot will be asked of Cardinals rookie starter Michael Wacha, especially with the apparent reemergence of David Ortiz as a potent offensive threat for the Red Sox. Heres a closer look at tonights game. GAME TWO PREVIEW: PITCHING MATCHUP Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha (Regular season: 4-1, 2.78, 1.098 WHIP in 64.2IP; Playoffs: 3GS: 3-0, 0.43, 0.571 WHIP in 21IP) Wacha has never faced the Red Sox or any of Bostons hitters. LINEUP CONSIDERATIONS The Cardinals will make a decision on Carlos Beltrans availability after he takes part in warm up drills and baseball activities this afternoon. Beltran badly bruised the right side of his rib cage crashing into the right field wall while he robbed David Ortiz of a second inning grand slam. Beltran finished the inning in the field but did not return in the third. If Beltran cant play, the Cardinals offence takes an obvious hit. Even if Beltran is in the lineup, he wont be 100 per cent, which will render St. Louis with two hitters in the heart of its order playing under less than ideal conditions. Allen Craig, St. Louis first baseman/designated hitter, went 1-for-4 in Game 1, his first action since spraining his foot on September 4 in Cincinnati. Well see how Craig performs throughout the series but its asking a lot of a player to immediately find his timing and be productive batting in the clean up spot. Red Sox RHP John Lackey (Regular season: 10-13, 3.52, 1.157 WHIP in 189.1IP; Playoffs: 2GS, 2-0, 3.00, 1.167 WHIP in 12IP) Only two Cardinals have ever faced Lackey (Carlos Beltran, Matt Holiday) and neither have a hit in 16 combined at-bats. LINEUP CONSIDERATIONS David Ortiz, held to just two hits in the ALCS (granted one, his Game 2 grand slam, was very important) had as many hits in the World Series opener. He could have had one more but he was robbed of a second inning grand slam by Carlos Beltran. Ortiz singled in the fifth and then hit a two-run home run in the seventh. Bostons 3-4-5 hitters (Dustin Pedroia-Ortiz-Mike Napoli) went 5-for-12 in the game with five RBI and four runs scored. If Ortiz is indeed heating up, the Red Sox are in good shape to win this series. GAME TWO PREDICTION The Cardinals play much better, this is if they stop kicking around the baseball, but the Red Sox get to Michael Wacha and prevail, 5-3, to take a 2-0 series lead to the Midwest. Nike Free 3.0 Dame Tilbud . After being eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semifinals, Mourinho was asked if hell return to the club next season and simply replied: "Maybe not. Nike Free 3.0 Dame . -- Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said closer Andrew Bailey will travel to Boston on Monday to have his right thumb examined. http://www.norgeskobutikk.net/new-balance-574/new-balance-574-dame.html . The Poles controlled play for long stretches Friday but still had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Greece in the opening match of the European Championship. Nike Free Run 2 Dame Norge . Columbus lost its opener at D.C. United, 3-1, but Hesmer has been flawless in the last three weeks to lead the Crew (1-1-2) to two draws and a win. Dan Kennedy posted his first shutout of the season for Chivas (0-2-2), which is winless through four matches under new coach Robin Fraser. Nike Free Run 2 Dame Tilbud .C. -- Kyle Busch apologized repeatedly Thursday for showing a "lack of judgment" in driving 128 miles per hour in a 45 m.WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have to fill a pretty big hole Monday in Montreal after the recent trade of CFL sack-leader Alex Hall to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Halls 15 sacks and the Winnipeg pass rush have been bright spots in an otherwise unimpressive season, which sees them flirting with a new yardstick for failure. The 2-12 Blue Bombers have four games left to play and are in danger of setting a new franchise mark for the worst record in an 18-game season (currently 3-15). The 6-8 Alouettes, meanwhile, can officially eliminate Winnipeg from playoff contention with a win. The Blue Bombers will use Greg Peach to fill the hole left by Halls trade but coach Tim Burke said they will also add recent acquisition J.D. Griggs to the end-rush rotation as a designated import. "Its going to be hard to replace Alex, his ability and his production," Burke said Thursday after practice. The Bombers returned to the field following a four-day break after Saturdays loss to the Calgary Stampeders. "I think Greg will do a good job. Hes more a try hard and carry your lunchpail to work kind of guy. Hes going to go hard all the time and thats how be gets his sacks." Now in his fifth season in the CFL, the six-foot-three, 255-pound Peach was a mid-season acquisition after he was released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He has been part of the rotation and has three sacks and six tackles this season. "I approach it the same way Ive approached it from day one that I got here, anything the coaches want me tto do Im doing it," he said Thursday.dddddddddddd "Im just excited for the opportunity." Griggs, at six foot five and 262 pounds, is built a little more like Hall but Burke said they have to see how he plays. "We wont know until he gets into a game but I like his athleticism," he said. "He reminds me of Alex a lot as an athlete. Probably a little bit stronger than Alex. "I dont know how good of a speed rusher he is, you know if hes as good as Alex, but the one thing hell be able to do that Alex could do is bull rush." The Blue Bombers may not be mathematically out of the post-season yet, but for many players the focus is also on next year as well as Monday in Montreal. The season hasnt gone well for quarterback Max Hall, for example, but he still thinks he has a future in the CFL and with the Bombers. "Thats why personally I want to play well down the stretch because I know I can be a great quarterback in this league," he said. "And this is an opportunity for me, not exactly the best situation to be thrown into, but its a great opportunity and I want to take advantage of it." He said he knows he needs to be more consistent. Hes completed 81 of 139 pass attempts for 974 yards and four touchdowns this year. The Bombers are still waiting for the player they got in exchange for Hall, Canadian offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld, to recover from a leg injury. "As soon as hes healthy, were going to try and get him out there," said Burke. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '