Arizona tries to make playoff rebound

PHOENIX, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Curt Schilling tries to prevent the Arizona Diamondbacks from falling into a huge hole Thursday night when they continue their National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Schilling was 4-0 with a 1.12 ERA in six postseason starts last year, but he had a sub-par September in which he went 2-2 with a 5.87 ERA in six appearances.

In his last start, ironically also against the Cardinals, he struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced, but allowed a three-run homer to Scott Rolen in the fourth inning and one to J.D. Drew in the eighth as the Cardinals posted a 6-1 win.

That loss dropped Schilling to 5-9 lifetime in the regular season against the Cardinals, but he did beat them twice in the NLDS last year.

In Game Five, Schilling fired a six-hitter with one walk and nine strikeouts as the Diamondbacks edged the Cardinals, 2-1.

On Tuesday in Game One, the Cards got to Randy Johnson right away as Jim Edmonds hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Rolen hit a two-run shot in the fourth as St. Louis rolled in a 12-2 rout.

"Anytime you go down 0-1, you're in trouble," said Arizona first baseman Mark Grace. "We feel like we have the guys who can pull ourselves right back into the thing on Thursday. We're an

awfully good baseball team and we know we'll be fine."

Including the regular season, the Cardinals have won five straight meetings with the Diamondbacks and hope lefthander Chuck Finley can extend that streak on Thursday. Finley lost

two starts in the American League Division Series last season, when he was with the Cleveland Indians. He was acquired on July 20 and went 7-4 with a 3.80 ERA in 14 starts with the Cardinals.

The Atlanta Braves, who lost in five games to Arizona in the NL Championship Series last year, also try Thursday to rebound from a loss.

The San Francisco Giants Wednesday seized home-field advantage by hammering Tom Glavine and the Braves, 8-5, in the opener of their Division Series.

Barry Bonds had a hit and a walk in five plate appearances, but J.T. Snow, Rich Aurilia and Benito Santiago each had two-run doubles, and Russ Ortiz allowed two runs in seven innings as the Giants seized an 8-2 lead and hung on.

The Giants send Kirk Rueter to the mound against the Braves' Kevin Millwood. Greg Maddux was scheduled to start Game Two, but has a blister and will not go until Game Three on Saturday in San Francisco.

"Greg has a blister on the index finger of his right hand," said Braves spokesman Jim Schultz. "We just felt it would be better if he had a couple extra days' rest. He begged (Manager Bobby Cox) to be able to pitch (Game Two), but between the training staff, Bobby and the coaches, they just decided it would be better to push Greg back to the first game in San Francisco."

Both AL Division Series are even at a game apiece and continue Friday.

On Wednesday, Anaheim beat the New York Yankees, 8-6, and Oakland drubbed Minnesota, 9-1.