With last nights rainout, the 19th rainout in World Series history, game four will commence tonight with the same pitchers scheduled as were scheduled Wednesday night, Jeremy Bonderman for Detroit and Jeff Suppan for the Saint Louis Cardinals.
Bonderman (1-0, 3.08 ERA postseason; 14-8, 4.08 regular season) has pitched two strong outings so far this postseason to clinch the Tigers' last two series, but both outings came in Detroit. This will be his first playoff start on the road, but he was actually stronger away from Comerica Park during the regular season. He tossed seven innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts against the Cards at home in June, part of his early summer roll of 10 consecutive starts without a loss. As a hitter, he's 0-for-19 with 12 strikeouts in his career. If Bonderman is to have a problem Thursday night, it could be from a lack of pitching since it will have been 13 days since his last start in the ALCS.
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Suppan (1-1, 1.86 ERA postseason; 12-7, 4.12 regular season) has taken big assignment after big assignment over the past three years for the Cardinals, so another World Series start shouldn't be too big a leap for the steady right-hander. He's coming off two exceptional performances in the NLCS, pitching the Cards to wins in Games 3 and 7. Suppan battled through five innings against the Tigers in June, allowing three runs on nine hits and receiving a no-decision.
Chances of the World Series being played Thursday night are not good. The weather forecast calls for early light showers to become steadier rain overnight and the chance of rain at 90% with a half an inch accumulation.
If the games are played as scheduled the next two days, there will be no travel day if the best-of-seven Series returns to Detroit for the games originally slated, if necessary, on Saturday and Sunday nights. If the games at Busch Stadium are delayed until the weekend, Commissioner Bud Selig has the discretion to use Monday as a travel day with the possible games in Detroit being pushed back to Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
The Cardinals are slight Money Line favorites in Las Vegas with a slim money line edge of –110 on Saint Louis and –105 on Detroit at Caesars Palace Sportsbook. The Tigers are getting the majority of public action as books are taking in 57% of the bets on Detroit.
