Boston Throws World Series Party

Red Sox Win World Series in Six

The 2013 season came to an end on Wednesday night as the Boston Red Sox defeated the st. Louis Cardinals 6-1 to clinch their third World Series title since 2004. The victory also marked the first time since 1918 that the Red Sox could celebrate a World Series title in their home ballpark.

Boston cruised to victory with relative ease behind yet another dominant postseason start from John Lackey. Once thought to be washed up, Lackey proved this postseason that he is very much the pitcher he once was. All he did on Wednesday night was throw 6.2 solid innings allowing only one run on nine hits and a walk. He also showed the type of intestinal fortitude typically seen out of ace pitchers in the postseason.

Oct 30, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (left) hoists the series MVP trophy while being interviewed by FOX reporter Erin Andrews after game six of the MLB baseball World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park. The Red Sox won 6-1 to win the series four games to two. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

With the Cardinals threatening in the top half of the seventh, John Farrell came to the mound to get Lackey. He had thrown a great game to that point, but following an RBI single from Carlos Beltran it was clear that Lackey was out of gas. Things didn’t go as planned, though. Farrell got to the mound with the hopes of taking the ball and Lackey told him, “This is my guy.” My guy was Matt Holliday, a player who had struggled mightily off of Lackey in his career. And while Lackey would eventually walk Holliday, it was that attitude and swagger that defined the Red Sox all season long.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox offense did the one thing that no other team was able to do this postseason – score runs on Michael Wacha. When Wacha allowed six runs and didn’t make it out of the fourth inning, you could almost read the writing on the wall. The Sox scored their first three runs in the bottom of the third when Shane Victorino whacked a bases clearing, three run double to left.  They got their next three in the bottom of the fourth when Stephen Drew homered to right center, Mike Napoli‘s RBI single to right, and another clutch RBI single from Victorino.

For the Cardinals, Wednesday night’s result served as the disappointing climax to an otherwise outstanding season. They finished the year tied with the Red Sox for the best record in all of baseball. However, when push came to shove the Cardinals came up just a bit short. This World Series loss will more than likely go down as one of the more improbable outcomes in St. Louis Cardinals’ history. After all, tied up at 2-2, they had their ace, Adam Wainwright, and budding super star, Michael Wacha, starting back to back games with the chance to take the series. Who could have possibly predicted both would lose and be hit fairly well in the process?

Rounding out the final bit from the 2013 World Series, Boston designated hitter David Ortiz was named World Series MVP. FOr once it was an MVP vote that not only seemed warranted, but also made sense. Ortiz batted .688 (11 for 16) with two homers, six RBI and eight walks. All of that was good enough for a .760 on-base percentage in 25 plate appearances. Not too shabby.

Now that the World Series is over, teams can now begin focusing their attention on improving their 2014 rosters. With the 2014 hot stove season set to begin, all of the truth and rumors should begin flying around. Keeping all of it straight is going to be fun, especially in regards to the Indians.

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