Bosox drub Cards in series opener
Print Edition
The Boston Red Sox took advantage of sloppy St Louis Cardinals fielding with superb pitching and timely hitting to run away with Wednesday’s World Series opener 8-1 at chilly Fenway Park.
Red Sox starter Jon Lester threw 7-2/3 scoreless innings and was backed by a three-run double by Mike Napoli and a two-run blast over the rightfield wall by David “Big Papi” Ortiz.
Host Boston took advantage of a Cardinals’ comedy of errors early on to take a commanding lead and seize a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series.
“We had a wake-up call,” St Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “That is not the kind of team that we’ve been all season. And they’re frustrated (and) I’m sure embarrassed to a point.”
The Red Sox scored three runs in the first inning on Napoli’s bases-loaded double off St Louis starter Adam Wainwright, and two more runs in the second, helped in each inning by errors by shortstop Pete Kozma.
Ortiz poured it on with a booming two-run homer in the seventh in support of winning pitcher Lester, who deftly mixed his array of pitches in yielding only five hits and just one walk while striking out eight.
“I thought he and David (catcher Ross) did a very good job of getting his curveball in the mix ... to create a little more separation in his pitches in terms of velocity,” said Red Sox manager John Farrell.
Matt Holliday finally put St Louis on the scoreboard with a ninth-inning home run off reliever Ryan Dempster. But the Cardinals lost veteran Carlos Beltran with a rib injury
Losing pitcher Wainwright gave up five runs on six hits in five innings on the mound but only three were earned.
The pitcher contributed to the Cardinals’ sins in the field, allowing a harmless pop up to drop at his feet for a single to start Boston’s second-inning outburst in confusion with catcher Yadier Molina over who would catch the ball.
The Red Sox will hand the ball to John Lackey for Game 2 against the Cardinals’ rookie sensation Michael Wacha.
Boston has won seven World Series titles, its most recent a sweep of the Colorado Rockies in 2007. The Cardinals have won 11 crowns, with their last coming just two years ago against the Texas Rangers.
Whoever wins the series will have the most titles (three) over the last 10 seasons.
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