Cards manager Tony La Russa said today "it was his fault" on the confusion over calls to the bullpen in the eighth inning of Game 6 on Monday.

"There wasn't anything that Derek (Lilliquist) did wrong there," La Russa said today. "I've told him that. Not one thing ... it was my fault."

The calls became an issue after the Rangers' 4-2 win when La Russa said  he was trying to call for Jason Motte to get ready, but instead Lance Lynn was warming and came into the game.

Lynn then intentionally walked a batter while Motte got ready.

La Russa said it was a bad phone connection, and loud in the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, so while he was saying "Motte" the bullpen was apparently hearing "Lynn."

La Russa: I trust Albert

Cards manager Tony La Russa opened his press conference today by  defending Albert Pujols, who called for a failed hit-and-run on his own in the seventh inning of the team's 4-2 loss in Game 5.

"That player gets a lot of leeway and ability to be involved based on how he reads what's going on. Albert has the ability to put a hit and run on. He has been given that right. It has everything to do with what he has earned."

La Russa said Pujols did not ask the manager before calling the hit and run in Game 6.

"I trust Albert," La Russa said. "Albert has proven every year and virtually every day  that he is a great player. He is a smart player.

"If he had asked me I would have told him, 'hey, don't put it on.' "

Immediately after the game Monday night, La Russa and third-base coach Jose Oquendo didn't want to say that Pujols called the hit-and-run himself. But eventually, Pujols said he did.

In the seventh, Allen Craig was thrown out at second trying to steal as Pujols let a high pitch go by without swinging.

Craig and Pujols were also involved in a failed play in the ninth as Craig was thrown out and Pujols struck out  on a 3-2 pitch. La Russa called that play -- a run-and-hit -- from the bench.

Berkman to bat fourth

La Russa also said that Lance Berkman would move up to fourth in the order as Matt Holliday has struggled, with only 3 hits in the World Series.

Game 7 starter

La Russa didn't want to tip his hand for a starter for a potential Game 7. "We have a real positive feel for how we'll pitch that game. We have to get there first."

If the normal rotation held, it would Kyle Lohse. But Jake Westbrook  would also be a possibility.

"I think everybody should be ready from here on, don't  you?" said Chris Carpenter, who started Monday's Game 5. Carpenter added he would do whatever he is asked for Game 6 or Game 7.

Walking Albert

Rangers manager Ron Washington didn't use the intentional walk often during the season, but didn't hesitate to use it three times on Monday against Albert Pujols.

"If I'm going into the record books, it's because one guy is Albert Pujols and one guy is Miguel Cabrera. What (Cabrera) did to us. I tried to expand the strike zone on him, he still hit balls out of the ballpark and hit doubles. You can blame Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera for my intentional walks."

Young back to first

Moving back to an NL park, Michael Young will play first base in Game 6 instead of Mitch Moreland and Craig Gentry will play center field with Josh Hamilton moving to left field.

Washington on calling plays

Washington wouldn't say whether or not he lets players call hit and runs, like Tony La Russa does with Albert Pujols, and said his only similar bullpen experience was in his rookie year as manager, when he forgot to tell a pitcher to warm up.

"There's no perfection in this game," he said. "Sometimes things get confused. That's the beauty of baseball."

Weather man

Washington said if there is rain on Wednesday, he would rather the game not be started until the weather got better, even if that meant moving the game back to Thursday. His preference is to play the game straight through once it starts.

"We want the situations to be correct," he said, "and if we have to wait a day, then we have to wait a day. But if it's at all possible we play, I want to play."

Weather forecast

The chance of rain for Wednesday's Game 6  is down to 50 percent according to weather.com with temperatures in the 50s and dropping.