Rookies will square off in Game 1 for first time in World Series

~ The Cardinals will match Reyes against Tigers fireballer Verlander.

DETROIT -- The World Series will have a pair of rookie starters for the first time, with Justin Verlander pitching for the Detroit Tigers and Anthony Reyes going for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Reyes, 5-8 with a 5.06 ERA in 17 regular-season starts, will have the fewest wins of any Game 1 starter in World Series history.

They will be the first rookies to start in the World Series since John Lackey won Game 7 of the 2002 World Series for the Anaheim Angels against San Francisco. Livan Hernandez was the last rookie to start Game 1, selected in 1997 by Florida Marlins manager Jim Leyland -- now guiding the Tigers.

When these teams last met in the World Series, the Cardinals' Bob Gibson pitched a five-hit shutout to beat the Tigers and 31-game winner Denny McLain 4-0 in the 1968 opener at the old Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals' Dizzy Dean won the opener of the only other Series matchup between the clubs, pitching an eight-hitter to beat Alvin Crowder 8-3 at Detroit's Navin Field in 1934.

The previous low for wins by a Game 1 starter was set by Howard Ehmke for the 1929 Philadelphia Athletics, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He went 7-2 during the regular season, then beat the Chicago Cubs and Charley Root 3-1 in Game 1.

Two rookies have never started a World Series opener before, Elias said.

Verlander, 17-9 with a 3.63 ERA during the regular season, said he wouldn't have been pitching the opener had the New York Mets won the NL pennant. But when the Cardinals won, he was Leyland's pick.

Verlander packs 100 mph heat and is 1-0 in two postseason starts, but his 5.91 ERA in the playoffs was the highest among Tigers pitchers. He will be pitching on nine days' rest.

"I definitely used the time," he said Friday. "Pitching late into October my first year, the innings are a lot, and there's some fatigue going on. Being able to rest my arm a little bit and kind of recuperate before this next series definitely helps."

He didn't get a decision in the first round, allowing three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium as the Tigers rallied in Game 2 -- starting their seven-game winning streak. He won 8-5 at Oakland in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series despite giving up four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Reyes pitched just once in the playoffs, starting Game 4 of the NL Championship Series against the New York Mets -- his first appearance since Oct. 1. He allowed runners in all four of his innings, walked four and threw 86 pitches. But he gave up his only runs on the solo homers by Carlos Beltran and David Wright.

He found out Friday that he'll be starting.

"I'm just trying to not think about it right now, just trying to relax and just get rested up and get ready for tomorrow," he said.

While Detroit had six days' rest following its sweep of Oakland, the Cardinals went to seven games against the New York Mets, using Chris Carpenter and Jeff Suppan in the final two games.

Kenny Rogers will start Game 2 for Detroit, followed by Nate Robertson and Jeremy Bonderman.

"We wanted Kenny to pitch two games at home," Leyland said.

Jeff Weaver will open Game 2 for St. Louis, followed by Carpenter and Suppan.