ST. LOUIS -- On Friday, after learning that third baseman Scott Rolen was out for nearly two weeks, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa got a call from an old friend -- an old friend who used to be a third baseman at the start of his career and who jokingly volunteered to help out at the hot corner in Game 3 of the Division Series against Arizona.

Thanks for offering, Mark McGwire, but Miguel Cairo's got everything under control. Plugged into the spot created when Rolen strained his shoulder, Cairo spearheaded the Cardinals' 6-3 win over the Diamondbacks, earning them a spot in the NLCS. The Team of Destiny is one step closer to reaching it, and they've got a 28-year-old utility infielder to thank.

	Backup Miguel Cairo had a huge day as a starter: 3-for-3, two runs, two RBI -- and one hit by pitch.

La Russa's story was true; he talks with Big Mac frequently and actually did joke about adding the big redhead to the playoff roster. But it's hard to imagine He Of The Monstrous Forearms would have done any better than Cairo. After driving in the winning run in his only at-bat in Thursday's Game 2, Cairo's encore performance got even better reviews.

Cairo's day: 3-for-3, two RBI and two runs scored. And his two RBI were vital: a second-inning single to cut an Arizona lead to 2-1 and a two-out double in the eighth to give St. Louis some late breathing room at 5-3. Sandwiched in between, Cairo got hit by a pitch to start a two-run rally in the fourth and legged out an infield single in the seventh. Not a bad full day's work for a guy used to being a temp -- Cairo is the Cardinals' top pinch-hitter (he finished second in the NL with 19 pinch hits this season) and averaged less than two at-bats per game played this season.

"I just tried to take every at-bat like I was pinch-hitting," said Cairo, pausing to dab at the aftereffects of a postgame champagne ambush by Rolen. "This is the best feeling ever," he said.

It's gotta feel pretty good for La Russa, too. During the travel day, the skipper mulled two options in filling the third-base gap after Rolen was injured in Game 2. He could play Cairo at third and keep Albert Pujols in left. Or he could start Eli Marrero in left and play Pujols at third (Pujols played 101 games at left and 37 at third this year).

La Russa chose to keep Pujols in his usual position so he could concentrate on hitting. Talk about a shrewd move -- if managers had highlight tapes, then this would be in La Russa's. Not only did Cairo blow up, but Pujols knocked in an RBI single and made the play of the game in the fifth, making a surgical relay on a Steve Finley single to gun Chris Donnels at the plate for the third out. Donnels was the tying run, and Arizona never threatened again after that. Of course, after the game, La Russa knew the drill -- take no credit. "Albert could have thrown that ball over the roof," he said. "I never take it personal if somebody does good."

But calling Cairo good would be an understatement -- he played as if Rolen were taking his job back tomorrow. Whenever Cairo got on he took leads like Lou Brock, drawing numerous throws from distracted D-Backs' pitchers yet somehow always making it back. And after getting plunked in the fourth, Cairo took off running on a Mike Matheny bloop that looked entirely catchable; he was the only one in the park that knew the flare would call in between Finley, Quinton McCracken and Junior Spivey. The move was gutsy, maybe even lucky, but it put Cairo in position to score the go-ahead run on Andy Benes' squeeze bunt.

"He's been making plays like that all season for us," said Tino Martinez, wringing champagne from his jersey as his old mates, the New York Yankees, were on a long flight back from California. "Was I surprised at the way Miguel played today? No way."

Cairo even outshone three-time Gold Glover Rolen in the field (OK, we just said that to get your attention). But he did handle his only two opportunities, gunning out Matt Williams and recovering from a misplay to get Rod Barajas.

"Tony's said it all year -- you can't just look at our starting lineup," Pujols said. "You have to look at our bench too. Everybody on this team has done something for us to get here, and tonight was Miguel's night."

Not surprisingly, the loyal Busch Stadium fans made sure Cairo knew it. As Cairo pulled into second after his game-sealing double, adjusting his uniform pants and gesturing skyward the same way he did after his big hit in Game 2 (he took second on the throw home in that case), the Sea of Red erupted. There was Cairo, standing on second base for the second time in 48 hours, having just secured a Cardinals win.

"CAI-RO! CAI-RO!" they screamed, and Miguel Cairo allowed himself a little grin.

For the time being, the temp seems to have a full-time job. Which means Mark McGwire's still out of one.

Andy Latack covers baseball for ESPN The Magazine.