01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, October 27, 2004

ST. LOUIS -- Good hitters don't miss many mistakes. Great hitters crush them.

That was the case in the top of the first inning last night at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis starter Jeff Suppan made some decent pitches to Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez with none on and two out. He even got a call with a low fastball from plate umpire Brian Gorman, a strike call that made the count 2-and-2.

Ramirez wasn't pleased with the call. He stepped out and took his time getting back in the batter's box.

Suppan then fired in another fastball, but he missed badly with his location. The ball was up and over the plate.

A mistake. And Ramirez, who led the American League with 43 homers, didn't miss it. He crushed it to left for a home run, giving the Sox a 1-0 lead.

Manny makes 'em pay

The Cardinals clearly have no respect for Ramirez's arm in the outfield.

With the bases loaded and one out in the first, the Cardinals had Pedro Martinez on the ropes. The crowd was going wild and number five hitter Jim Edmonds was at the plate.

Edmonds lifted a looping fly ball to left. Ramirez came racing in for the catch. St. Louis third-base coach Jose Oquendo, playing the role of beleaguered Sox third base coach Dale Sveum, didn't hesitate in sending Larry Walker, the runner at third.

Walker tagged and headed home. Ramirez, though, caught the ball on the run and fired a one-hopper to catcher Jason Varitek. The throw arrived in plenty of time to nail Walker, killing the Cards' threat.

Natives were restless

The Cardinals' fans have been called the best in baseball for their knowledge of the game. They also have been known for their wholehearted support of their team.

Those two qualities were at odds in the third.

With Suppan on third and Edgar Renteria at second and none out and the Sox leading, 1-0, Walker hit a routine grounder to second base. The Sox' infield was back, conceding a run.

Suppan didn't run right away, as he should have. He hesitated. But Renteria, expecting Suppan to score, ran toward third, as he should have. Suppan started home and was caught in a rundown. He retreated to third while Renteria went back to second.

A scrambling Suppan was thrown out by first baseman David Ortiz for a rally-killing double play.

So when Albert Pujols grounded out to third, ending the inning, the faithful Redbird fans responded the way any other team's fans would respond -- they booed.

When it rains, it pours

Sometimes fielders get in slumps, too.

Red Sox third baseman Bill Mueller has been an unfortunate example in the World Series.

Sunday night in Game 2 at Fenway Park, Mueller tied a Series record by committing three errors. Two of the miscues came on ground balls that caught him in between hops.

Last night, Mueller again got caught on a short-hop, trying to make a backhand play on Pujols' chopper in the first. The ball squirted out of Mueller's glove and it was ruled a base hit.

In the third, Mueller was too far back to field Suppan's roller in time to throw him out.

During each postseason game, Journal sports writer Steven Krasner looks at moments that may get lost in the big picture. Here are some of the things he saw last night.