BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
 2013 WORLD SERIES,
 GAME #2
Sox errors lose the game

October 24, 2013 ... The Cardinals served notice in tonight's 4-2 victory in Game 2 at Fenway Park that Boston is in for a genuine battle in this Fall Classic.  The Red Sox, who had won nine consecutive World Series games, gave this one away.

John Lackey took the mound in the seventh inning with a 2-1 lead after Ortiz belted a two-run homer to left field off Michael Wacha, the dazzling 22-year-old rookie starter of the Cardinals.   Lackey got one out but walked David Freese, who was 8 for 43 (.186) in the postseason. That was the first mistake.  John Jay followed with a single to right field. With Lackey at 95 pitches, Farrell called in one of his most reliable relievers, lefthander Craig Breslow.

Once Lackey left, it all fell apart.  Breslow came on and the Cardinals pulled a double steal, pushing pinch-runner  Pete Kozma to third and Jay to second. Breslow, who had been tremendous this postseason, walked Daniel Descalso to load the bases.  Then came the pivotal play of the game. Matt Carpenter hit a fly ball to medium-depth left field. At Fenway, that is often a play in which the runner is held at third. But Cards third-base coach Jose Oquendo sent Kozma and was rewarded for his aggressiveness.  Not only did Kozma beat the throw home by Jonny Gomes, but the ball bounced off the glove of catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, giving Jay an opening to advance to third. Breslow backed up the throw and tried to get Jay, but the lefty's throw was wide of third and went toward the seats down the left-field line, the error allowing Jay to score. Just like that, the Cardinals were back up at 3-2.  Carlos Beltran stepped up next and came through with an RBI single to push the lead to two runs.  Frustration, thy name should be Lackey.  No Sox starter has been more of a hard-luck pitcher this season than Lackey. 

It was a quick turn of events for the Red Sox, who had just been staked to a 2-1 lead when Ortiz provided yet another big October moment in the bottom of the sixth, lacing a two-run homer through the chilly air and over the Green Monster against Cards righty starter Michael Wacha.  It was the fifth home run of the postseason by Ortiz, matching the team record he first tied in 2004. Todd Walker also hit five in 2003. Ortiz has hit 17 postseason home runs in his career. His 59 RBIs in the postseason are fifth in history.

Aside from the blast from Ortiz, the Sox hardly touched Wacha, who gave up three hits, two runs and four walks while striking out six over six innings.  Both pitchers had shutdown stuff early. Lackey blinked first, albeit slightly, when Matt Holliday led off the fourth with a triple to right-center. Dustin Pedroia temporarily saved the run by making a great diving catch on a liner by Matt Adams, but Yadier Molina got the run home on a fielder's-choice groundout.

The Red Sox thought they had something going in the fourth when Pedroia led off with a double off the Green Monster and Ortiz followed with a walk. A double-play ball off the bat of Mike Napoli diffused that scoring opportunity and Gomes ended the threat by popping out to second.

The Sox best late chance to even the score or forge ahead came in the eighth, when an error on second baseman Carpenter allowed Jacoby Ellsbury to reach first to lead off the frame against reliever Carlos Martinez. But the Cards' 22-year-old righty held the lead, striking out Shane Victorino and Pedroia before allowing Ortiz's single, then getting Napoli on a popup to shortstop Kozma to strand the baserunners and end the threat.

Trevor Rosenthal, the Cardinals' 23-year-old closer, retired the Sox in order in the ninth, striking out Gomes, Saltalamacchia and pinch-hitter Daniel Nava on 11 pitches.  Ortiz's heroics were not enough. Now it's a best-of-five series with the Cardinals having three games at home.

Bud Selig presented retired Yankees closer Mariano Rivera with the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award before the game. The legendary closer also was introduced to the crowd and received warm applause.  James Taylor performed the national anthem before the game and then "America The Beautiful" during the seventh-inning stretch.  A group of players from the 2004 Red Sox (Keith Foulke, Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez, Kevin Millar, Trot Nixon, Mike Timlin, and Jason Varitek)  threw out first pitches. Ortiz delivered the balls to the mound.

CLICK TO
VIEW SCORECARD