Rain Postpones Game 1 at Shea

Game 1 of the NL Championship Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets was postponed last night because of a steady rain.

The best-of-seven series will now begin Thursday night, and Game 2 at Shea Stadium is to be played Friday — which was supposed to be an off day in the series.

The NLCS shifts to St. Louis for Game 3 on Saturday.

Minutes before the game was called, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said a rainout probably wouldn't affect his pitching rotation. Jeff Weaver was scheduled to start the series opener against New York's Tom Glavine, with Jeff Suppan going in Game 2 for St. Louis against rookie John Maine.

Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter is not slated to pitch until Game 3 at Busch Stadium, against Steve Trachsel.

"I don't think there's a benefit to changing. So if we don't play, I think we'd just go ahead and go with the two guys here and go with Chris in the third game," La Russa said. "That might change, but I don't think so.

"I think Chris is a better choice for that game." The Mets and Cardinals will now play five straight days.

"That's really the importance of not playing today is you play five in a row," La Russa said."Playing five in a row, actually it's a better test because that's what you do during the regular season."

Tickets for Game 1 will be honored Friday for the second game at Shea Stadium. The starting time for that game was to be determined and announced today.