For the fourth time in history, the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals will square off in baseball’s fall classic. For the third time in those matchups, the Red Sox would grab a victory in Game 1, as Boston took an easy 8-1 victory on Wednesday evening at Fenway Park.
Out of the gates the Red Sox would take control of the game and would set sail on the Cardinals, besting them in all departments.
The Boston offense tested Wainwright early. Each of the first six batters took the first two pitches of their respective at-bats, all of which began with a seven-pitch at-bat by Jacoby Ellsbury to start off the bottom of the inning.
Controversy would rear itself on the next play, as a David Ortiz grounder to second would result in a force out at second, putting runners on the corners with two outs. However, John Farrell, citing that Pete Kozma did not have control of the ball as Pedroia slid into second, would immediately contest the play.
The umpiring crew would convene, ultimately overturning the original ruling, putting Pedroia back on second and giving Boston a bases loaded situation with just one out.
Mike Napoli would step up to the plate and rip an up-and-in cutter for a double to center, clearing the bases and giving Boston an early 3-0 lead.
Jonny Gomes would follow with a grounder, while Xander Bogaerts would strike out to end the inning.
However, the damage was already done, as Wainwright would be pushed to a 31-pitch inning to start his outing. He located his pitches well and had effective control of his curveball, but the Boston offense was just that much better on Wednesday evening.
Boston would follow up with two more runs in the second, coming on a bases loaded single by Pedroia and an Ortiz sacrifice fly to deep right. St. Louis would be given a huge break on Ortiz’s sac fly as Carlos Beltran would reach over the wall and snag away what could have been a grand slam. Instead, the Red Sox would come away with a 5-0 lead heading into the third.
The Cardinals would challenge Lester in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with just one out. However, David Freese would ground back to the mound, allowing for an easy double play that would end the inning.
Much of the game would be smooth sailing for both teams until the bottom of the seventh, as Boston would tack on an additional two runs coming on a two-run blast to right center by Ortiz, scoring Pedroia and giving the Sox a 7-0 lead.
Bogaerts would collect his first postseason RBI on a line out to left, sending Daniel Nava home for Boston’s eighth run.
Matt Holliday would counter with a solo blast over the Green Monster in the top of the ninth, giving the Cardinals their only run of the game. Ryan Dempster would surrender a base hit to Freese later in inning, but would strike out Matt Adams to end the game.
Perhaps the star of the game was Jon Lester, who turned in one of his better outings of the season. Lester worked 7 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out eight and surrendering just one walk. He located his pitches well and was able to pitch his way out of a pair of jams with great poise.
Game 2 will commence Thursday evening at 7:30 PM in Boston, as St. Louis will send Michael Wacha to the mound to face Boston’s John Lackey.
