With loss, these Birds on a wire

ST. LOUIS -- They closed the locker room door quickly and didn't open it until Major League Baseball Director of Security Kevin Hallinan banged on the door, letting the St. Louis Cardinals know their 10-minute cooling off period had ended.

For the Cardinals, explanations for a 4-1 defeat to the Red Sox in Game 3 of the World Series last night, which left them down, 3 games to none, weren't readily available.

Neither were most of the Cardinals when the doors finally opened. There was no music playing, a staple in most clubhouses. Only the hiss of the water from the showers broke a silence that has enveloped players who have yet to celebrate a victory in the Series, which is now single-elimination for them.

"The situation is we're down three," said relief pitcher Ray King, who has been left as the spokesman the past few days as many Cardinals have avoided the media. "We know the situation. Pitchers have got to pitch, hitters have to hit. There's no sugarcoating it."

King, who worked two innings of scoreless relief, added, "[Tonight] every one of us has to look at himself in the mirror and see what's inside of them."

As other Cardinals emerged from the shower -- some changed in the trainer's room and disappeared into the night -- the mantra was the same, filled with more hope than conviction.

Left fielder Reggie Sanders talked about what the Cardinals accomplished during the regular season -- winning a major league-high 105 games. "This team has fought all year long," said Sanders. "Being down, 3-0, is not going to change the way we're going to approach things."

The Cardinals' slump has come much to the dismay of their fans, who attempted to will them to their first victory in the first game at Busch Stadium. Sanders tried to be confident. "We're definitely not out of this," he said. "Our team has shown what [it's] about. Anything can happen."

Someone suggested that the Cardinals could use the Red Sox for inspiration, considering that they became the first team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a seven-game series, against the Yankees in winning this season's ALCS.

"We can't worry about what anyone else did," Sanders said. "We have to take care of things ourselves."

King, however, said that any motivational tool should be considered. "All we have to do is look at the other dugout and see what can happen," he said.

The bottom line: the Cardinals are in their toughest position of the season. "We're about in as difficult a spot as you can be," said manager Tony La Russa. "All we can do is win [tonight]."

La Russa said he would discuss with his team the Red Sox' success against the Yankees.

"It's something you've got to notice," he said. "It shows it's possible. I think the one thing I'm absolutely confident about is that we've come too far to give an effort that will embarrass anybody [tonight]."

La Russa conceded it would not be easy.

"It's hard not to get discouraged," he said, "but if you're strong, the Red Sox did it, and I know we're strong so we'll do it. We're going to come out and try to win a game. We can win a game [tonight]."

But La Russa knows if the Cardinals don't win tonight, they will be out of tomorrows for the 2004 season.