The lights shine bright during the World Series as the nation turns its gaze onto the Fall Classic. The Sox were hoping to take advantage of two home games while the Cardinals were looking to avoid falling into a 0-2 hole.
Oct 24, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox manager
John Farrell(left) relieves starting pitcher
John Lackey(middle) in the 7th inning during game two of the MLB baseball World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
John Lackey looked great in innings one through six. When Ortiz his towering homer into the Green Monster seats to put the Sox ahead 2-1, the excitement was building. But we should have known that the Cardinals offense was not going to let us keep a measly 1-run lead. When Lackey started to struggle in the 7th Farrell rightly pulled him, with 2 on and 1 out. Craig Breslow walked the first batter he saw and was on the mound for a double steel, an inauspicious beginning to say the least. When Matt Carpenter flyed out, it could have been the beginning of a turn-around for the inning, but errors by both Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Breslow allowed two runs to score. Carlos Beltran singled to score another run and pretty much ended the game. The Sox offense went down pretty quickly after that with a single by Ortiz as the only spark of life.
The Sox head for St. Louis knowing they have their work cut out for them. Can they give Jake Peavy (4.17 ERA) enough run support considering what happened when he pitched in the ALCS? Can the Sox offense get going again against a tough pitcher like Joe Kelly (2.69 ERA)? We will find out soon enough. Game 3 is in St. Louis at 7:30.