NLCS NOTES

ST. LOUIS – Do you think the Yankees would rush through their warm-ups before a postseason game to watch the Giants or Jets on television? Likely not.

But that’s how it is in St. Louis, where the professional sports teams are avid fans of each other, and that includes the coaches.

The Cardinals rushed through their batting practice before Game 4 of their NLDS clincher against the Dodgers to watch the finish of the Rams-Seahawks game, won by the Rams in overtime.

The Cardinals celebrated the Ram victory to the point where Card manager Tony La Russa phoned Ram coach Mike Martz and left a voice mail of La Russa’s team cheering the Rams’ come-from-behind win.

“Our guys were whooping it up,” La Russa said. “So I dialed his number and put it on his voice mail right a way. I said, ‘Listen to this, congratulations.’ It was a big win for them. They pull for us. We pull for them. The guys were excited and Mike could hear that.”

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La Russa didn’t mind his bullpen giving up three late runs on two homers in Game 1, turning a comfy 10-4 lead into a 10-7 squirmer in which closer Jason Isringhausen had to enter in the ninth.

“The worst thing you can do when you have a lead is walk guys,” La Russa said. “We were going to throw strikes. It’s hard to hit the ball out of the park, but they did it.”

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Astros’ Jeff Kent suffered a badly bruised foot when he was hit by a foul ball off his bat in Game 1. Kent was pulled late in the game, but was ready to go in Game 2.

“Jeff’s foot was swollen a little bit, but he feels better,” Astro manager Phil Garner said.

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Despite the Astros’ grind to win the NL wild card and their emotional five-game series against the Braves, Garner sees no fatigue in his team.

“I don’t think anybody’s tired,” he said. “In these situations, guys are eager and ready to play.”