San Francisco ? Any day now, Miguel Cairo hopes to go back to being a backup.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ surprise postseason star won’t mind losing his starting role, because that will mean teammate Scott Rolen is ready to play in the NL championship series.

Rolen, an All-Star third baseman, has been out since spraining a shoulder in Game 2 of the Cardinals’ first-round playoff series. Before Rolen’s injury, Cairo was content being one of the league’s best pinch hitters.

He’s OK with returning to that role even though, given a chance to play regularly, he began the postseason with seven straight hits. Add in a hit in his final at-bat last postseason, and Cairo tied the major league record with eight consecutive postseason hits, a mark set by the Yankees’ Reggie Jackson in 1977-78, and equaled by the Reds’ Billy Hatcher in 1990.

“As soon as Scott gets better, we’ll get better,” said Cairo, whose team trails the best-of-seven series 2-0 heading into today’s Game 3. “It’s going to be a better lineup, and Tony La Russa is going to have chances to make more moves.

“So, knock on wood, Scott is ready by Game 3.”

That would mean two important things for the Cardinals: Rolen returns to the batting order with the power that generated 31 homers and 110 RBIs during the season, and Cairo gives La Russa an extra tool on the bench.

“Really, he gets burned here, because he’s so good off that bench,” La Russa said. “I can’t wait to get him back there, not just to play Rolen, but because he helps there.”

Cairo’s postseason run began after Rolen was injured when a Diamondbacks baserunner slammed into his shoulder. Cairo got the game-winning hit in the ninth inning. In Game 3 of that series, Cairo went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

He had three more hits in Game 1 of the NLCS, including a two-run homer, before striking out in the eighth to end his streak. Cairo was 0-for-4 in Game 2 but was hardly alone Giants starter Jason Schmidt carried a shutout into the eighth inning of San Francisco’s 4-1 victory.

St. Louis third baseman Miguel Cairo smiles during Friday's practice at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco.

The 28-year-old Cairo had two years as a starter with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1998-99, hitting .295 and stealing 22 bases in the second season.

The Cardinals acquired him in 2001 after he was waived by the Chicago Cubs.

Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said Cairo was among the backup plans in case the team wasn’t able to deal for Fernando Vina in 2000, and the team never forgot him.

“When he became available on waivers, his salary was low, and we felt he was the perfect guy for our club,” Jocketty said.

Even if he’s not used often, Cairo knows he’s an important part of the team.

“I feel like this is my home,” he said. “I like my role and I don’t complain about not playing. I don’t want to go anywhere else.”