For the Houston Astros, 43 years of anticipation turned into jubilation as they won their first postseason series with a 12-3 win over Atlanta in Game 5 of their National League division series.

There was anticipation in St. Louis as the Cardinals waited to discover they would host NL Central foe Houston in the NL championship series, which begins Wednesday in St. Louis (8:19 p.m.).

And perhaps the most anticipation centered on the Yankees and Red Sox, who begin their American League championship series tonight in New York.

It's a series fans and the baseball world have waited almost a year to see again, the two rivals facing off for a trip to the World Series.

Tonight's Red Sox starter, Curt Schilling, had this to say: "I'm not sure I can think of any scenario more enjoyable than making 55,000 people from New York shut up."

He faces Mike Mussina at Yankee Stadium.

The two last faced off in the playoffs in 2001, when Schilling, then with the Arizona Diamondbacks, defeated the Yankees starter in Game 1 of the WorldSeries.

The Cardinals, who won a major-league-best 105 games this season, have advanced to the NLCS three times in the last five years. But they have not been to the World Series since 1987 and they haven't won the Fall Classic since 1982. It's St. Louis outfielder Larry Walker's first NLCS trip.

"I always try not to get too carried away," Walker said. "I mean, we know where we're at and that we have an opportunity, but we want to stay at an even keel."

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