LOS ANGELES — Even limited career history trumps recent history as St. Louis Cardinals leadoff hitter Skip Schumaker takes an expected seat for this afternoon’s Game 2 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw. Schumaker, the Cardinals…

Tony La Russa on starting Colby Rasmus in center despite teasing earlier in the week about a Skip Schumaker return to the outfield: “It really came down to Colby or Rick (Ankiel) at center. And I think Colby earned the…

ST. LOUIS — Todd Wellemeyer’s first start since elbow inflammation eased him out of the starting rotation combusted in the fourth inning as the Florida Marlins struck him for four runs and upended the St. Louis Cardinals early lead. Wellemeyer…

ST. LOUIS — Second baseman Julio Lugo, making his pitch to be the St. Louis Cardinals leadoff hitter against lefthanded starters, led off the game with a full-count home run Thursday afternoon at Busch Stadium. Lugo, who entered the game…

SAN DIEGO — The Cardinals and San Diego Padres introduce the same pitching matchup tonight as in the Cardinals’ Aug. 15 7-4 win at Busch Stadium with Joel Pineiro (11-9, 3.45) facing off against Tim Stauffer (1-5, 3.50) in a…

ST. LOUIS — Julio Lugo slides into the shortstop position and the No. 8 spot in the order, but otherwise, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has done what he has rarely done — copied the previous days lineup…

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NEW YORK — Manager Tony La Russa will include two lefthanded bats in tonight’s lineup against New York Mets lefthander Johan Santana (12-8, 2.96 ERA). Center fielder Rick Ankiel will start and bat seventh after compiling a .412 average…

ST. LOUIS — While the St. Louis Cardinals decide what to do with two shortstops — when to activate Khalil Greene and whether to DL Brendan Ryan – Julio Lugo will assume the starting job for at least one against his…

PHILADELPHIA — It worked well enough Friday to blast the Philadelphia Phillies — and their 15-wins-in-17-games run — so St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is riding the hot bats and the new bats into today’s nationally televised afternoon…

Albert Pujols gets a rest today for the Cardinals. Also, P.J. Walters was optioned to Memphis to make room for Julio Lugo.

The lineup:

Cardinals

Schumaker, 2b

Rasmus, cf

DeRosa, 1b

Ludwick, rf

Ankiel, lf

Molina, c

Thurston, 3b

Ryan, ss

Wainwright, P

Nationals

Morgan, cf

Guzman, ss

Zimmerman, 3b

Dunn, lf

Johnson, 1b

Willingham, rf

Gonzalez, 2b

Bard, c

Balester,…