Avoiding Pujols has Dodgers in control
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ST. LOUIS � Avoiding Albert Pujols seems to be working for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are one win away from a first-round playoff sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. That strategy isn't about to change heading into Game 3 tonight. "To me, Albert is just out there in a class by himself," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said yesterday. "It may cost me tomorrow, you know, a three-run homer instead of a two-run homer. "But I'm still going to make somebody else beat me." The Dodgers got a break in Game 2 when St. Louis outfielder Matt Holliday dropped a two-out fly ball in the ninth inning, helping them rally for a 3-2 win. Holliday, batting cleanup behind Pujols, homered earlier in the game. Pujols is the front-runner for a third NL MVP after batting .327 with a major league-leading 47 homers and 135 RBIs along with a major-league high 44 intentional walks. The Dodgers have held Pujols to a single in six at-bats, and zero at-bats with runners in scoring position. They've intentionally walked him three times. The Cardinals will go with 15-game winner Joel Pineiro opposing Vicente Padilla (4-0) in Game 3. PHILLIES WILL GO WITH MARTINEZ IN GAME 3 Pedro Martinez is getting the ball and the call in another big game. Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel chose the aging right-hander over J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton, who made cameo appearances out of the bullpen Thursday, to face the Colorado Rockies in Game 3 of their NL playoff series tonight in Denver. The best-of-five series is tied at one game each. Martinez is 6-2 with a 3.40 ERA in the postseason, and Manuel said he likes his history in cold weather, too. The forecast for Game 3 calls for temperatures dipping into the 20s with snow flurries. Right-hander Jason Hammel, who went 10-8 during the regular season will pitch for the Rockies. • • • | ||||