The most pivotal game of a five-game postseason series is arguably Game 2.

The winner of Game 1 can either take a commanding 2-0 lead, moving one game away from the NLCS, or the loser of Game 1 can get the series back even, and turn it into a best-of-three series.

The pitching matchup for Sunday's Game 2 is also the best of the series: St. Louis ace Chris Carpenter against postseason stud Cliff Lee, a battle of former Cy Young Award winners.

Lee met with the media shortly after noon today. Among other things, he was asked about his cult status in South Philly, where his every move, be it running out a ground ball out or fielding a sacrifice bunt, is cheered wildly. Lee elicits a response unlike any other player in recent memory.


"I'm aware that the fans cheer me," Lee said. "I'm aware that they cheer when I fly out and things like that. You can't not hear the fans. But I honestly try not to let it affect anything really.

"It's definitely better than being booed, no doubt about it. But even if I was getting booed, I would still try to have the same mentality. I would try to not really get caught up in that and focus on the opposing hitters and stay locked in what I do.

"I know the fans respect the way I play the game and respect the fact that I came back here and stuff like that. And that's good. But I think what makes me is my ability to focus on what I'm doing and stay locked into the game and what I need to do to be successful, and I think the fans respect that."

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Here's the Phillies Game 1 lineup:

1. Jimmy Rollins SS
2. Chase Utley 2B
3. Hunter Pence RF
4. Ryan Howard 1B
5. Shane Victorino CF
6. Raul Ibanez LF
7. Placido Polanco 3B
8. Carlos Ruiz C
9. Roy Halladay P


And the Cards:

1. Rafael Furcal, SS
2. Allen Craig, RF
3. Albert Pujols, 1B
4. Lance Berkman, LF
5. David Freese, 3B
6. Yadier Molina, C
7. Skip Schumaker, 2B
8. John Jay, CF
9. Kyle Lohse, P