:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/21822295/20121018_ajl_sa7_182.0.jpg)
|
|
5:07pm Arizona time, Fox. Series level 1-1.
The Red Sox streak of consecutive World Series wins was snapped at nine, as the Cardinals responded to a pounding in Game One with a solid, if less dominant, victory in Game Two. The series now moves to St. Louis, and the split in Boston means a) unlike last year, the World Series won't be decided during tomorrow's get-together at Zipps', and b) there will be a game for me to watch during my day off on Monday. I'm fairly happy with both these, though I expect tomorrow's viewing experience to be a good deal less intense than last year, when we were praying the Tigers could stave off a Giants sweep. [Thanks, Detroit: bankruptcy's too good for you....]
Today's game will be highlighted by the site of David Ortiz playing 1B. He's done it before, of course: he started two games in both the 2004 and 2007 World Series there, but only once since 2009 has he done so three days in a row, as he'll probably do here (when the Red Sox faced the Cubs in Jun 2012). "Who the hell wants to watch the pitcher hit?" spat Ortiz on Friday - I'll happily take it, if this means we also get to see him play first, instead of sitting on the bench like an extremely well-paid slug. I'm afraid I don't have a great deal of respect for any career designated hitter: they're about equal with NFL kickers in my book. Sure they score points, but they're not really playing the game.
Neither starter today has exactly had a great post-season so far, combining to go 0-2 in five starts, with 16 earned runs allowed in 25 innings, and a K:BB ratio of 17:9. If there was a match-up in the series which looks primed for an offensive explosion, this would probably be it.