Cliff Lee vs. Chris Carpenter: 5 Ways Game 2 Matchup Is a Must-Watch

After an early lead from St. Louis turned into a Philadelphia rally and a near-Cardinals comeback, Game 2 between the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night will be a sight to see. There are four words to describe why Sunday's game will be a sight to see. The first two words are Cliff Lee, the starter for the Philadelphia Phillies. The other two are Chris Carpenter, who takes the mound for the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Phillies will try to keep their winning ways going and gain a commanding 2-0 series advantage, while the Cardinals want to take home-field advantage away and even the series before going back to St. Louis. It was because of the Phillies' ability to defeat the Atlanta Braves just a few days ago that the Cardinals are even in this position. After a victory in Game 1, Philadelphia is eyeing another world championship. Meanwhile, the Cardinals would love to have an 11th world title and their first in five years.

With two of the best teams in baseball going head-to-head again on Sunday night, here are five reasons why the pitching matchup alone makes this a game to watch for this postseason.

1. It's the First Ace vs. Ace Showdown

No offense to the Ian Kennedys and Derek Hollands of the world, but Game 2 gives us the first true matchup of a legitimate pitching ace from each team. The Cardinals have young Jaime Garcia and Philadelphia still has Roy Halladay, but Cliff Lee and Chris Carpenter have been mainstays among the pitching elite for quite some time. Any time that a pairing like this one occurs, it is something to keep a close eye on.

If Game 1 in the Yankees/Tigers matchup had gone more than an inning and a half, this wouldn't be true. We were left without seeing CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander going toe-to-toe. Something tells me that Lee and Carpenter will be a nice consolation prize to baseball fans.

2. Lee Tries to Silence Cards' Big Bats

The Cardinals jumped on Roy Halladay early in Game 1, putting the pressure on the Phillies to come back from an early 3-0 deficit. The Phillies certainly did do that, but the Cardinals have a lot of firepower to talk about. Not only did Berkman tattoo a ball in Game 1, but the Cardinals also have the likes of Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday in their lineup. A few pitches in their sweet spots is all that the dangerous Cardinals need to make you pay.

Cliff Lee can try to live dangerously, but it will be interesting to see if the Cardinals will have him pay. Lee was stellar in the playoffs last year with the Texas Rangers, and a good performance Sunday will truly show off the two-headed pitching monster Philadelphia hoped they had with Lee and Halladay.

3. Carpenter Tries to Keep St. Louis Alive

There is certainly some pressure on Chris Carpenter on Sunday. Not only is Carpenter facing the Phillies on short rest, but Carpenter has to try and keep his great career numbers against Philadelphia intact while having his team's entire season upon his shoulders. If Carpenter can't find a way to win a game in Philadelphia, his team will be forced to win three straight, including a return to Philadelphia for Game 5, if it even gets that far.

Carpenter is the best that St. Louis can bring to the table in what is essentially a must-win Game 2 for the Cardinals. He may only have a record of 11-9 and an ERA that is almost 3.50, but he does perform well at Citizens Bank. He is 4-0 in his career at the ballpark and 7-2 in 11 career starts against Philadelphia. Carpenter's best stuff will be needed to avoid a potential elimination game on Tuesday night.

4. Philadelphia Protects Their NLDS Home Dominance

The National League Divisional Series has only been around since 1981, but the Philadelphia Phillies were a part of the very first one. The Phillies, as defending champions, lost that series in the deciding Game 5 to the Montreal Expos in the old Veterans Stadium. Thirty years later marks just the sixth time that the Phillies have participated in a divisional series. Of those previous five series, there have been just four losses by Philadelphia at home.

Outside of that lone home loss in Game 5 against Montreal in 1981, the other three losses at home have all come against the Colorado Rockies. In 2007, the Rockies swept the Phillies in three straight games, with two of them taking place at Citizens Bank. The other loss to the Rockies at home was in 2009, the year after winning the World Series. The Phillies advancing by winning three out of four games in the series, with the lone loss at home.

5. Lee Tries to Save Phillies Bullpen

The Phillies want to avoid showing any weaknesses in their armor going forward. Thus far, those dents in the armor have been limited to the bad outing in Game 1 by Michael Stutes. In a perfect world for the Phillies, it will stay that small. Cliff Lee may be better off going the distance in Game 2 to avoid showing any more leaks in that Philadelphia bullpen.

The Phillies bullpen also has the likes of long men like Joe Blanton and Vance Worley, but the Phillies have been quick to hide any faults in Blanton, having him pitch only a few innings at a time in his starts down the stretch. A perfect world for a Philadelphia fan will be to not need these guys until it is necessary. Cliff Lee is a workhorse and can pull off a complete game to have the bullpen rest up for another game.