Summary | Box Score Final 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Mets 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 10 6 Cardinals 0 2 4 7 3 0 x 16 16 3

In a game that felt more like a spring-training exhibition than Game 1 of a conference final, the Cardinals drew first blood-- and plenty of it-- against the Mets in a 16-3 win at frigid Rogers Park. Yale Dieckmann and Chris Caprio had 3 hits and 3 RBIs apiece to lead the Cardinals' attack. Dieckmann and Dan Jalbert each scored 4 runs. Jeff James pitched 4.1 innings for the win, and Carlos Portocarrero finished it out. Kit Kadlec, a last-minute starter on 1 day's rest, took the loss for the shorthanded Mets. Conrad Paquette reached base 4 times on 3 walks and a hit before leaving with an injured hand. Billy MacDougall stroked a pair of hits including a double, and A.J. Camelio also had 2 hits. For the Mets, Al Becker was 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored, and Greg Cote and Dave McManus were each 2-for-3. The teams meet again for Game 2 of the series on Sunday. The Cards can clinch a trip to the MABL finals with a win.

Dieckman scored each time up; James picked up the win; Caprio hit the trifecta.