Marquee pitching matchup headlines Game 3

ST. LOUIS -- Slugfest. Bloodbath. Slobber-knocker. Any of those termswould be a fitting description of Games 1 and 2 of the NL Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals, but the one resounding takeaway was very little good pitching. After a split of the two games that saw a total of 30 runs scored, Game 3 appears poised to be a low-scoring affair with opposing aces on the mound at Busch Stadium as Yovani Gallardo starts for the Brewers and Chris Carpenter for the Cardinals. "You would think it would be a low-scoring game," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said Tuesday. "You never know, but we expect to have to scrape out a few runs to be able to win the game. Hopefully Yovani continues to pitch like he has been, and we know Carpenter is going to be ready." Gallardo has been the highlight of a scuffling Milwaukee rotation, as he's 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two postseason starts. Zack Greinke is the only other starter with a win, but he has allowed 10 runs in two starts, for an 8.18 ERA. After dropping Monday's Game 2, 12-3, behind Shaun Marcum's latest tough outing, the Brewers will count on Gallardo to recapture the momentum they had after a 9-6 Game 1 win. Knowing his St. Louis counterpart is likely tostifle the Milwaukee offense, Gallardo understands the necessity of having another strong start. "I don't think it's pressure," Gallardo said Tuesday. "Having to go against guys like (Carpenter) it's going to be tough. We're going to have to score as many runs as we can." Carpenter is coming off perhaps one ofhis best career starts, a complete-game shutout of the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 of the NLDS. It was just the third ever 1-0 shutout in a postseason elimination game. The gutsy performance, opposite Philadelphia's Roy Halladay, was talked about for days and is no doubt something to take pride in, but Carpenter is focused on his next matchup with Gallardo. "Just like any other start during the year, you've got to take it one start at a time, good or bad," Carpenter said. "You move on. This is a different team, different series, different atmosphepere." Carpenter didnt last long in his first playoff start, going just three innings and giving up four runs in Game 2 of the NLDS. He's 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in the 2011 playoffs and went 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in four starts against the Brewers in 2011. After nearly throwing a no-hitter against the Cardinals in St. Louis on May 7, Gallardo finished the season 1-7 against them for his career. Roenicke hypothesized that perhaps the St. Louis offense just matched up well against Gallardo. "I can't explain it," Gallardo said. "That's how this game is. I'm 1-7 against these guys, but I try to forget about those things even if it goes the other way around, 7-1. You can't think about that too much." Mostly, Gallardo is excited for the matchup and the chance to swing the momentum back in his team's favor while picking up a rotation that hasn't been itself of late. "For a starting pitcher it doesn't get better than this," Gallardo said. "Facing a great pitcher on the other side and a great team. Every game is important for both clubs." Starting pitching is heavily on Roenicke's mind as well, as he's suddenly facing a struggling rotation that was one of the league's best in 2011. In St. Louis, the Brewers will send out Gallardo, Randy Wolf and Greinke. "I don't think there is a perfect formula, but I don't think you win this thing without good starting pitching," Roenicke said. "If we're going to win this thing, our starters need to pitch well. And that's the four of them. We can't get by with just one or two pitching well." Morgan may sit Wednesday: Given the expected pitcher's duel in Game 3, Roenicke said Tuesday he is considering starting Carlos Gomez over Nyjer Morgan in center field. Gomez is regarded as one of the best defensive center fielder's in the league and could make plays that Morgan has struggled with in recent games. Gomez is also performing well at the plate, going 3-for-9 in the posteason with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Morgan is 3-for-20 in the postseason, but did knock in the run that sent the Brewers to the NLCS. Its something that weve talked about, Roenicke said of the potential switch. Well talk about it again. I think its important for us to score as many runs as we can against a very good pitcher, and sometimes you try something a little bit new. If a guy isnt swinging the bat well, you may make a switch. Sometimes, you stay with a guy, too, expecting him to come out of it. Those are the decisions that Im looking at every day.