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

BY STEVEN KRASNER and SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writers

ST. LOUIS -- Want more proof that this may well be The Year?

In the third inning, the St. Louis Cardinals suffered a baserunning meltdown that might sound eerily familiar to Red Sox fans.

The Cards had Jeff Suppan at third base and Edgar Renteria at second with none out when Larry Walker hit a grounder to second baseman Mark Bellhorn, playing back on the lip of the grass and conceding the run.

But, inexplicably, as Renteria took off for third, Suppan barely moved off third. Renteria had to retreat to second as the play was made at first and first baseman David Ortiz fired across the infield to nab an indecisive Suppan.

Instead of a run in, a runner on third and one out, the Cards had no runs, two outs and a man at third.

The reason for the gaffe?

"It was an easy read," said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. "They had the infield way back and the third baseman was way off the bag. And Jeff heard 'No, no,' and [third-base coach Jose Oquendo ] was yelling, 'Go, go.' Men are not machines, and it's a big miss."

In Game 6 of the 1975 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, the Sox had the bases loaded and none out, with Denny Doyle at third. Fred Lynn hit a shallow fly ball to left fielder George Foster. Third-base coach Don Zimmer shouted to Doyle, 'No, no, no,' but Doyle thought he was being told "Go, go, go.' He did and was cut down at the plate and the Sox didn't get a run. They has to wait until Carlton Fisk's game-winner in the 12th.

Arroyo could be a factor

Bronson Arroyo was bumped from the Red Sox' starting rotation and sent to the bullpen in the World Series to make room for Derek Lowe's Game 4 start.

But Arroyo, who was understanding of the switch made by manager Terry Francona and pitching coach Dave Wallace , still was likely to play an important role in the Series.

The right-hander was available out of the bullpen, capable of pitching multiple innings and working several consecutive days. He also was the prime candidate to take Curt Schilling 's Game 6 start if that game were to be necessary and if Schilling's dislocated right ankle tendon were to keep him from that assignment.

"They've said there's more of a possibility that he won't pitch than he will, but they've said that before," said Arroyo of Schilling's status.

"It doesn't really matter to me," added Arroyo, who, outside of a weak Game 3 start in the ALCS against the New York Yankees, has pitched well in the playoffs. "My body's in shape for that, but I'm prepared to pitch in any part of the game, whether it's the third inning when the starter is struggling or the ninth."

And if his services are not needed, Arroyo will be able to live with that, too, he said yesterday.

"I couldn't care less if I pitch an inning in the World Series. I just want to win. I know I contributed to the team in the Division Series and the League Championship Series," he said.

There was no further official word about Schilling's status for a Game 6, if the Series goes that far.

He'll keep 'em loose

Kevin Millar will open the games in Busch Stadium on the bench because there is no designated hitter, as per National League rules. He will be replaced by David Ortiz at first base.

But that doesn't mean Millar will be invisible. Francona will be aware of Millar's presence on the bench.

"He's such a smart aleck. I remember one of the interleague games in Atlanta, he was on the bench with a big bag of snacks. He looked like Larry Mondello ," said Francona, referring to the rotund friend of Beaver Cleaver on the old Leave It To Beaver television show.

"I thought about putting him in, but he said he had a stomach ache," added Francona with a chuckle. "When he doesn't play, he's said things that made me laugh when I didn't want to laugh. You'll hear that voice down at the end of dugout, and it's hard not to laugh. He's a character. He's good for our ballclub."

Francona tops list

Regardless of the outcome of the rest of the Series games, including Game 3, Francona already was the Red Sox' winningest manager in the postseason. He was 9-3 over his first 12 games. Bill Carrigan, who led Boston to World Series titles in 1915 and 1916, was 8-2.

Burks enjoying the ride

Ellis Burks, whose history with the Red Sox dates back 20 years, isn't on the active roster, but that's not stopping him from enjoying the World Series.

"It's disappointing in a sense (to not take part)," he said, "but it's also refreshing to get the opportunity. I still feel I'm a major part of the team, although I'm not active. That's gratifying."

He's No. 2

Manny Ramirez' s homer in the first inning was his 18th postseason home run, tying him with Reggie Jackson and Mickey Mantle for second on the all-time list. The Yankees' Bernie Williams is first, with 22.

Slippin' and slidin'

It rained most of the day in St. Louis. The storm finally passed through, permitting the game to start a minute or two later than the originally scheduled first pitch, but the field still was soaked in some spots.

Sox right fielder Trot Nixon found one of those spots. While chasing Renteria's drive off the fence in the third, he hit a puddle and slipped off his feet, ignominiously landing hard on his rear end on the warning track. He did recover in time, though, to hold Renteria to a double.

The bruise didn't affect him at the plate. Nixon ripped a two-out single to right in the fourth for his first career World Series RBI.