St. Louis ? Cardinals third baseman Abraham Nunez is expected to be back in the starting lineup for Game 6 of the NL championship series tonight after missing two games because of a deep left thigh bruise.

“He worked out, I watched some of it,” St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said Tuesday. “Unless I go in there and find out something that wasn’t obvious, I expect him to start.”

Nunez was injured during Game 3 on Saturday in a jarring collision while playing in the field. Houston’s Jason Lane slid into third, and his knee crushed the leg of Nunez, who was coming off the bag to field Larry Walker’s throw from right field. Nunez was spun to the ground and had to be helped off the field.

During the Cardinals’ optional workout Tuesday at Busch Stadium, Nunez took ground balls and batting practice.

“I tried to do everything at game speed to see how I’d do. I just want to make sure I’m 100-percent ready to go,” Nunez said. “It’s pretty loose and it’s not sore.”

Nunez said “it’s up to the boss” if he’s playing.

St. Louis third baseman Abraham Nunez works out. Nunez and the Cardinals went through light drills Tuesday in St. Louis.

In six postseason games, Nunez has hit .381 (8-of-21) with four runs scored and three RBIs.

Nunez was the starter at third base most of the season when Scott Rolen was limited to 56 games because of two shoulder operations. John Mabry and Hector Luna, who started four games at third during the regular season, started the last two NLCS games.

¢ Roy Wonder: Andy Pettitte got the first shot to pitch Houston into the World Series. Now, it’s 20-game winner Roy Oswalt’s turn.

Oswalt, who beat St. Louis in Game 2 of this NLCS, will start tonight in Game 6 with the Astros up, 3-2, in the series.

“Roy, I think in some ways, this is THE game for him,” Astros general manager Tim Purpura said. “He’s doesn’t get the media attention that Andy and Roger do.”

Oswalt has won 59 regular-season games the last three years, but is often overshadowed being on the same staff with the hometown duo of Pettitte and Roger Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner.

If Game 7 is needed, Clemens will face the Cardinals in the same situation as last October. If the Astros win tonight, the Rocket almost certainly would start Game 1 of the World Series on Saturday night at the Chicago White Sox.

Pettitte didn’t get a decision in Game 5 on Monday night, when Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer off closer Brad Lidge in the ninth inning to give St. Louis a 5-4 victory.

¢ Front-row seat: Cardinals manager La Russa has been in the dugout for two of the most stunning home runs in postseason history.

La Russa was managing the Oakland Athletics when a hobbling Kirk Gibson connected off Dennis Eckersley to win Game 1 of the 1988 World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

And, of course, La Russa was there to greet Albert Pujols with a hug after his three-run shot saved St. Louis’ season Monday night and sent the Cardinals to a 5-4 victory at Houston in Game 5 of the NL championship series.