Giants vs. Cardinals NLCS: Dirty slide has some history between these two teams

Matt Holliday's questionable slide into Marco Scutaro in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series wasn't the first time things between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants have gotten heated around second base, according to a story from the Silicon Valley Mercury News.

In July of 1988, Giants first baseman Will Clark attempted to break up a double play by taking out Cardinals second Jose Oquendo. Oquendo took objection to the slide and kicked Clark, which led to an all-out brawl in the middle of the field at Busch Stadium.

Clark was asked if there was a difference between his slide in '88 and Holliday's slide on Monday night that knocked Scutaro out of the game with an injured hip.

Clark told the Mercury News:

"I slid a little bit before the bag," he said. "We made contact over the bag. I was expecting Oquendo to jump across the bag and he did. And I got him. On this play (Holliday's), there was no attempt to slide into the bag. It was way past the bag."

The Giants didn't retaliate after the slide, but Clark noted that the baseball gods might have, when Holliday booted Scutaro's two-run single in the fourth inning and allowed a third run to score.

"There's definitely baseball gods," said Clark. "There's a reason why he hits the (single) and Holliday boots the ball. Baseball gods shine."

Game 3 of the NLCS is scheduled for Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT in St. Louis.