It was really that huge trade in August of 2012 when the Boston Red Sox started to turn their luck around. They managed to get rid of several large contracts and free up enough financial space to rebuild for the near the future. Who knew that near future meant 2013.
After an abysmal 2012 and an off season of rebuilding which included hiring a new manager, the Sox managed to have a rebound 2013 season finishing first in the AL East with a 97-65 record. They then proceeded to clear through the ALDS beating out the Tampa Bay Rays in four games and then beating the Detroit Tigers in Six games in the ALCS. That lead them to the World Series.
They got a 3-2 series lead over the St. Louis Cardinals entering tonight and wanted to put it away in game six with the Fenway crowd cheering them on. They struck first in the 3rd inning with a three-run triple by Shane Victorino who had not had a hit in the series before that. Boston would then add three more runs in the 4th inning with Victorino hitting an RBI single. All six runs would be counted against Michael Wacha who had been a solid postseason starter until this point.
That was all the Sox would score but it was enough. John Lackey, the game six starter for Boston, only allowed one earned run in the 7th on an RBI single by Carlos Beltran. The bullpen would come in to finish the 7th and the game.
The game and the series would end with Sox closer Koji Uehara striking out Matt Carpenter. Boston wins the game 6-1 and takes the series 4-2. The Red Sox win their 8th World Series title in franchise history and clinch their first World Series title at home since 1918.
What an historic run for the Red Sox throughout this postseason and a great World Series to watch. Of course, David Ortiz was named the World Series MVP. No hitter was hotter during this series than Big Papi. This cements Ortiz's legacy in Boston further with this being his third World Series title with the team.
Congrats to the city of the Boston and the Red Sox organization on another world title. NOW LETS PARTY LIKE IT 1918!!!
Showing posts with label St. Louis Cardinals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Louis Cardinals. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Cardinals Comeback Gets Them into NLCS
The last game between the Cardinals and the Nationals was last night and the winner would go onto the face the Giants in the NLCS.
The Nationals would get off to an early start scoring 6 runs over the first three innings of play, which included three home runs. It seemed like too much for the Cardinals with Gio Gonzalez pitching against them. However, they managed to get back in the game scoring 5 runs through 8 innings. Still being down by two in the 9th inning, the Cardinals had to rally.
After a lead off double by Beltran and then a ground out (which moved Beltran to third) and a strikeout, the Cards were down to their last out even strike a couple of times. However, the next two guys managed to walk to load the bases allowing Daniel Descalso to hit a single to center to score two runs to tie the game. After Descalso stole second, Pete Kozma hit a double down the RF line to score in two more runs to take the lead. The Cards were on top. The Nationals went three up and three down in the bottom of the 9th with Ryan Zimmerman popping out to second to end the game. Cardinals comeback and win 9-7 and take the series 3-2.
The Cards manage to comeback from a 6 run deficit and win the game to advance to the NLCS. An amazing game from the defending champs. They now have to travel to San Francisco to take on the Giants in game 1 of the NLCS, The great hitting of the Cardinals got them by the pitching of the Nats but can they stand up against the pitching of the Giants?
P.S. While the Cardinals are a good team and should make for a close series, the Giants might fare better against them than the Nationals. The Giants were 3-3 vs. the Cardinals during the regular season while they were just 1-5 against the Nationals. Whether the Giants take any merit in these numbers for postseason play, I'm sure they will be glad to just start the NLCS at home.
P.P.S. Yankees won? Let's go Tigers.
The Nationals would get off to an early start scoring 6 runs over the first three innings of play, which included three home runs. It seemed like too much for the Cardinals with Gio Gonzalez pitching against them. However, they managed to get back in the game scoring 5 runs through 8 innings. Still being down by two in the 9th inning, the Cardinals had to rally.
After a lead off double by Beltran and then a ground out (which moved Beltran to third) and a strikeout, the Cards were down to their last out even strike a couple of times. However, the next two guys managed to walk to load the bases allowing Daniel Descalso to hit a single to center to score two runs to tie the game. After Descalso stole second, Pete Kozma hit a double down the RF line to score in two more runs to take the lead. The Cards were on top. The Nationals went three up and three down in the bottom of the 9th with Ryan Zimmerman popping out to second to end the game. Cardinals comeback and win 9-7 and take the series 3-2.
The Cards manage to comeback from a 6 run deficit and win the game to advance to the NLCS. An amazing game from the defending champs. They now have to travel to San Francisco to take on the Giants in game 1 of the NLCS, The great hitting of the Cardinals got them by the pitching of the Nats but can they stand up against the pitching of the Giants?
P.S. While the Cardinals are a good team and should make for a close series, the Giants might fare better against them than the Nationals. The Giants were 3-3 vs. the Cardinals during the regular season while they were just 1-5 against the Nationals. Whether the Giants take any merit in these numbers for postseason play, I'm sure they will be glad to just start the NLCS at home.
P.P.S. Yankees won? Let's go Tigers.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Cardinals Advance to NLDS Under Controversial Infield Fly Call
Earlier today were the first One Game Wildcard Playoffs in MLB history. Winner goes on to the traditional Division Series and the losers goes home. In the case of the game in Atlanta, perhaps the wrong team moved on.
The first game featured the Cardinals taking on the Braves. This game, however, would not be remembered to be the first one in this format but rather for a controversial call. In the bottom of the 8th inning with 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd, Andrelton Simmons popped the ball between two fielders in the outfield and it dropped due to the fielders getting mixed up on who was to catch it. Simmons, however, was called out with left-field umpire Sam Holbrook calling the infield fly rule despite the fact the play was more than 50 ft away from the infield.
When Braves fans realized what had happened, they started to throw everything they had and then some onto the field to show their displeasure. The game was halted for 19 minutes as a result and Braves Manager Fredi Gonzalez managed the rest of the game under protest which was denied afterward. Two batters later, Michael Bourn struck out swinging leaving the bases loaded. The Braves didn't get any runs in the inning being down by three. The bottom of the 9th came and went with Chipper Jones getting an infield single in his last AB of his career and then two batters latter Dan Uggla grounding out to 2nd to end the game. The Cardinals win it 6-3 and go on to face the Nationals in the NLDS.
The replacement refs in football make a glaring mistake and the umps in baseball have to catch up?
Now certainly the rule is confusing and it seems like umpire Halbrook made a few mistakes: he didn't call it early, it didn't seem like ordinary effort, and it certainly didn't look like an infield fly ball of any kind. It was 225 ft from home plate for crying out loud. It was a bad call and the game certainly could've gone differently and Chipper Jones career might not be over.
A bad call haunts baseball and the postseason once more but it's worse this time around. This is a one game playoff where a mistake like this is even more harmful because there are less chances for either side to make up for the mistake. This is a black eye to baseball as it points out it's officiating weaknesses once more and perhaps a flaw in the One Game Playoff format.
The first game featured the Cardinals taking on the Braves. This game, however, would not be remembered to be the first one in this format but rather for a controversial call. In the bottom of the 8th inning with 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd, Andrelton Simmons popped the ball between two fielders in the outfield and it dropped due to the fielders getting mixed up on who was to catch it. Simmons, however, was called out with left-field umpire Sam Holbrook calling the infield fly rule despite the fact the play was more than 50 ft away from the infield.
When Braves fans realized what had happened, they started to throw everything they had and then some onto the field to show their displeasure. The game was halted for 19 minutes as a result and Braves Manager Fredi Gonzalez managed the rest of the game under protest which was denied afterward. Two batters later, Michael Bourn struck out swinging leaving the bases loaded. The Braves didn't get any runs in the inning being down by three. The bottom of the 9th came and went with Chipper Jones getting an infield single in his last AB of his career and then two batters latter Dan Uggla grounding out to 2nd to end the game. The Cardinals win it 6-3 and go on to face the Nationals in the NLDS.
The replacement refs in football make a glaring mistake and the umps in baseball have to catch up?
Now certainly the rule is confusing and it seems like umpire Halbrook made a few mistakes: he didn't call it early, it didn't seem like ordinary effort, and it certainly didn't look like an infield fly ball of any kind. It was 225 ft from home plate for crying out loud. It was a bad call and the game certainly could've gone differently and Chipper Jones career might not be over.
A bad call haunts baseball and the postseason once more but it's worse this time around. This is a one game playoff where a mistake like this is even more harmful because there are less chances for either side to make up for the mistake. This is a black eye to baseball as it points out it's officiating weaknesses once more and perhaps a flaw in the One Game Playoff format.
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