World Series 2013: Red Sox Take Advantage of Being Home

The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals had the most wins in their respective leagues this season and led the American League and National League in runs differential, and now they are coming face to face in the World Series.

It’s the first time since 1979 that two teams with that kind of grip on their respective leagues have made it to the Fall Classic to face each other, and unlike most matchups in modern day baseball, interleague play hasn’t spoiled the intrigue of these two teams, who haven’t met since 2008.

Last night, the Red Sox played as if they were as familiar with the Cardinals as they are with the Yankees or Rays. They won Game One of the 2013 World Series 8-1 thanks to three RBI nights from both Mike Napoli and David Ortiz – one of whom will have to play from the bench at Busch Stadium as the DH position is dropped in the NL ballpark.

The Cardinals, touted as the best organization in baseball; a ballclub who bring through more young, homegrown pitching than any other and won an NL pennant with 18 of these particular players, were outclassed at Fenway Park. The Cardinals boast the second highest amount of young pitchers in the league and its game revolves around the power and aggressiveness of its young power arms.

However, last night just didn’t follow the script; that is if you were in a Cardinals uniform anyway. What Boston did in mashing the ball like it has all season and taking pitches from even the best starters in the game – Adam Wainwright wasn’t himself, walking the first batter he faced, something he has done only 14 times in his career and only once in 37 starts this year – was prove to everyone that the Cardinals defence is way below average.

“The Cardinal Way” does not take into account their poor defence, which began last night in the bottom of the first inning when David Ortiz bounced a grounder to second baseman Matt Carpenter with runners on first and second and one out. Carpenter’s flip was slow, but worse was shortstop Pete Kozma, who dropped the ball before he had even transferred it to attempt the double play.

Farcically, the second base umpire called Dustin Pedroia out at second, but after manager John Farrell came out to plead his case, the umpires got together and ruled Pedroia safe after acknowledging that Kozma never had control of the ball before the transfer.

Bases loaded. Mike Napoli, who would have won the 2011 World Series MVP for Texas had the Cardinals not come back to win Games 6 and 7 that year and crush that dream, began his revenge mission with a three-run double which cannoned off the Green Monster.

Before it got worse for the Cardinals, a stat for you: David Ortiz never scored from first base following a double all season. But here, after another poor defensive play – this time from centrefielder Shane Robinson, who took a bad angle toward Napoli’s ball and bobbled his pickup attempt – the time given for Ortiz to come all the way around was just enough as Boston took a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

This is the Red Sox way, clearly. You might be able to pitch, but you won’t over-power us. Boston had already beaten Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander in the ALCS, so it was ready for Wainwright.

It even went badly wrong for Mike Matheny’s team when they made a good play. Rightfielder Carlos Beltran – who also happens to be the Cardinals best hitter – robbed Ortiz of a grand slam in the second after catching a long fly over the bullpen wall in right field, a similar play to the one Torii Hunter tried and failed to deliver in the Championship Series.

Beltran caught the ball, meaning Boston scored only one on a sacrifice fly, but had to leave the game soon after having bruised his right rib on the play.

Game One was always going to be advantage Boston. Cardinals starter Wainwright had never before pitched at Fenway Park, which has hosted baseball for nearly 102 years. The 6-foot-7-inch starter had pitched in 264 major league games before last night but had never set foot in Fenway, and it showed.

Before the game he banged his head on the concrete dugout roof, and although Wainwright said it had no effect on his performance, it was certainly a sign of things to come.

There was miscommunication from himself and catcher Yadier Molina as a Stephen Drew pop-up evaded both of them; landing slap in between the two veterans as if they were little leaguers scared to command the simple play.

Boston starter Jon Lester was scintillating here, throwing 7 2/3 scoreless innings while giving up five hits, one walk and striking out eight. It was a performance befitting the opener of such a huge series, one that Boston hasn’t been a part of since 2007. Dating back to 2004 – the year they swept the Cardinals in the Classic – the Red Sox are 9-0 in World Series play.

Ortiz has been a battering ram all season long, defying his aging body. He hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning last night to add to his Red Sox legend, and he is the only player on this current team that has been a part of all three World Series appearances for Boston since ’04. His long-ball had more impact than at first glance, because it was part of a key matchup for both teams.

Matheny brought in left-hander Kevin Siegrist to face the lefty Ortiz, a huge matchup in this series as the Cardinals know they have to control Ortiz in the late innings.

It took one pitch from Siegrist for Big Papi to read the fastball, put one swing on it and watch it fly into the rightfield bullpen.

Boston Strong, the field denotes. The Red Sox have built an identity over this long baseball season. They grow beards, and tug on them when someone hits a home run. What looks like a painful gesture hasn’t stopped this team of big characters pulling together all year long. The likes of David Ross, Napoli, Jonny Gomes and Shane Victorino all had parts to play yesterday and that veteran impact must continue if they want to win a series against a still very good Cardinals team.

“It’s the beginning,” Ortiz said. “Got to come back hungry tomorrow and play the game the way we did tonight.”

Knowing what’s at stake, Gomes added after the game:  “That’s why the Major League Baseball season is so long. You need all those games to build an identity, and we just kept it rolling today.”

Tonight, the Cardinals will hand the ball to rookie sensation Michael Wacha to try and steady the ship. Wacha, after only nine regular-season starts, is 3-0 in the postseason, including 2-0 when his team have lost the previous game. In his past four starts, he has flirted with a no-hitter twice and allowed only one run on nine hits in 29 2/3 innings.

John Lackey will pitch for the Red Sox, his first World Series start for 11 years.

Boston were strong last night. It wasn’t a surprise. What will be a surprise is if St. Louis doesn’t at least compete tonight; they need a win before the series heads back to St. Louis for Games Three, Four and Five.

Fenway Park awaits Game Two. For now, the bearded boys have the upper hand.