Brewers win would produce Game 7 battle of aces

MILWAUKEE – Shaun Marcum thinks people really want to see two aces face off in Game 7 with the National League pennant on the line. He can go a long way to forcing that matchup with a strong effort today.

Marcum will get the ball for Milwaukee when it faces Edwin Jackson and St. Louis in the league championship series, with the Brewers trailing 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. If the Brewers win, Yovani Gallardo would pitch against Chris Carpenter on Monday night.

“I think I’m on the bandwagon with everybody in here, probably everybody in the country that wants to see ‘Yo’ versus ‘Carp’ in Game 7,” Marcum said. “I’m going to try to get the ball to ‘Yo.’ ”

This series has been more about what comes next on the mound.

St. Louis has taken the lead in every game of the series and the Cardinals’ bullpen is 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA in 21 2/3 innings over the first five games. Manager Tony La Russa has made 23 pitching changes using all eight of his relievers.

“In the end, players decide, pitchers decide who plays,” La Russa said. “We’re all basically reading basically the same. We just have different weapons. When you watch the game … the players will decide.”