Cardinals Fumble Early and Boston Wins Game 1 Big

Here’s your baseball briefing for Thursday, October 24, 2013.

Wednesday Results

Game 1 World Series (best of seven)

RESULT	WIN	LOSS
at Boston 8, St. Louis 1	Lester (1-0)	Wainwright (0-1)

St. Louis committed three errors and dug themselves a 5-0 deficit after just two innings, while Boston took advantage with clutch hits from Mike Napoli and David Ortiz as the Red Sox won easily behind the pitching of John Lester.  Ortiz was also robbed of a grand slam when Carlos Beltran reached over the right field wall for an amazing catch, injuring his ribs in the process.  He left the game and is questionable for Game 2 tonight.

Boston Leads Series 1-0

Schedule (Times EST)

Game 2 today at 8:07 pm

St. Louis Cardinals (Wacha) at Boston Red Sox (Lackey)

Prediction: St. Louis

Game 3 Saturday October 26 at 8:07 pm

Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals

Game 4 Sunday October 27 at 8:15 pm

Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals

Game 5 (if necessary) Monday October 28 at 8:07 pm

Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals

Game 6 (if necessary) Wednesday October 30 at 8:07 pm

St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox

Game 7 (if necessary) Thursday October 31 at 8:07 pm

St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox

Playoff Predictions Overall:  17-17

News & Notes – The Cincinnati Reds named pitching coach Bryan Price their next manager, agreeing on a three-year deal.

The San Francisco Giants re-signed pitcher Tim Lincecum to a two-year $35 million contract.

Trivia

Today’s Question:  Who was the last American League batting champion to win a World Series in the same year?

Monday’s Question:   Prior to 2012, when was the last time two batting champions faced off in the World Series?

Answer:  1954 when Bobby Avila for Cleveland and Willie Mays for New York won their leagues’ batting titles and met in the World Series, won by the Giants.

House Bet Over/Under combined 2 errors committed by both teams in Game 2.

Monday:  Over/Under 16 combined strikeouts by John Lester and Adam Wainwright in Game 1 on Wednesday.

Result:  Under.  They combined to strike out 12 (Lester 8, Wainwright 4).  

Boston vs. St. Louis in 2013 World Series

Here’s your baseball briefing for Monday, October 21, 2013.

Friday Results

Game 6 N.L.C.S. (best of seven)

RESULT	WIN	LOSS
at St. Louis 9, LA Dodgers 0	Wacha (2-0)	Kershaw (0-2)

Rookie Michael Wacha pitched another brilliant game when St. Louis needed it most, allowing just two hits in seven innings, and Cardinals hitters scored seven runs off Cy Young contender Clayton Kershaw to win easily 9-0 to eliminate the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games and advance to their second World Series in three years, having won in 2011.

St. Louis Wins Series 4-2

Game 6 A.L.C.S.

RESULT	WIN	LOSS	SAVE
at Boston 5, Detroit 2	Tazawa (1-0)	Scherzer (0-1)	Uehara (3)

Shane Victorino’s seventh inning grand slam gave Boston the lead for good as they won beat Max Scherzer and Detroit in Game 6 to win the series and advance to their first World Series since 2007 when they swept Colorado.

Boston Wins Series 4-2

Boston and St. Louis have met in the World Series three times in baseball history, with the Cardinals winning in 1946, 1967 and Red Sox winning in 2004.

                    

World Series Schedule (Times EST) (Best of 7)

Wednesday October 23 at 8:07 pm  

St. Louis Cardinals (Wainwright) at Boston Red Sox (Lester)

Game 1

Prediction: St. Louis

Thursday October 24 at 8:07 pm

St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox

Game 2

Saturday October 26 at 8:07 pm

Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals

Game 3

Sunday October 27 at 8:15 pm

Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals

Game 4

Monday October 28 at 8:07 pm

Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals

Game 5 (if necessary)

Wednesday October 30 at 8:07 pm

St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox

Game 6 (if necessary)

Thursday October 31 at 8:07 pm

St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox

Game 7 (if necessary)

Playoff Predictions Overall:  16-17

News & Notes – Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland announced his retirement after eight seasons and two World Series appearances.

History

2012 World Series – Detroit Tigers vs. San Francisco Giants

          The 2012 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers, led by Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera (the first in 45 years to lead the league in batting average, home runs, and RBI) and the pitching of former Cy Young winner Justin Verlander who led the American League in strikeouts.  They would face the San Francisco Giants, winners of the 2010 World Series, and led by N.L. batting champion Buster Posey and a formidable pitching staff.

          San Francisco had home field advantage and third baseman Pablo Sandoval started the series with three bangs, three home runs in his first three at-bats as the Giants won 8-3 to take a 1-0 series lead.  Two of the home runs came off Justin Verlander, and Sandoval tied Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols as the only players to hit three home runs in a World Series game.

          In Game 2, Giants starter Madison Bumgarner pitched seven shutout innings and struck out eight as San Francisco won 2-0 to take a 2-0 series lead with the teams headed to Detroit for Games 3, 4 & 5 if necessary.

          In Game 3, San Francisco became the first team since the 1966 Baltimore Orioles to win games on back-to-back shutouts as they once again won 2-0 behind the pitching of Ryan Vogelsong.  The Giants scored both of their runs in the third inning and took a 3-0 series lead.

          Game 4 in Detroit went extra innings as the score was tied 3-3 after nine, and Giants’ shortstop Marco Scutaro, traded to San Francisco in mid season, delivered an RBI single to center field in the top of the tenth that proved to be the winning run.  Closer Sergio Romo struck out the Tigers in order in the bottom of the tenth, and the Giants celebrated their seventh World Series title in franchise history, and second since moving to San Francisco in 1958.  The five prior championships were won in New York.

San Francisco Wins 4-0

          For the series, San Francisco outscored Detroit 16-6 and outhit them 32-20.

Trivia

Today’s Question:  Prior to 2012, when was the last time two batting champions faced off in the World Series?

Friday’s Question:  The 2011 World Series was just one of two in baseball history in which a team, one strike away from elimination, came back to win the game and the Series.  When was the other?

Answer:  1986, when the Boston Red Sox were one strike away from winning the World Series, only to lose Game 6 and then Game 7 to the New York Mets.

House Bet
Over/Under combined 16 strikeouts between John Lester and Adam Wainwright in Game 1.

Friday:  Over/Under 8 strikeout by Clayton Kershaw Friday against St. Louis.

Result:  Under.  Kershaw struck out 5.  

Blog Returns Thursday after Game 1

Boston One Win Away From World Series

Here’s your morning baseball briefing for Friday, October 18, 2013.

Thursday Results

Game 5 A.L.C.S. (best of seven)

RESULT	WIN	LOSS	SAVE
Boston 4, at Detroit 3	Lester (1-1)	Sanchez (1-1)	Uehara (2)

Mike Napoli went 3-4 with a home run and double as Boston beat Detroit in pivotal Game 5. The Red Sox are just one game away from reaching the World Series.  Game 6 in Detroit is Saturday.

Boston Leads Series 3-2

                   

Today’s Schedule (Times EST) 

8:00 pm – Game 5 American League Champion Series

Boston Red Sox (Lester) at Detroit Tigers (Sanchez)

Series tied 2-2

Prediction: Detroit

Playoff Predictions Overall:  16-15

Friday

8:30 pm – Game 6 National League Championship Series

Los Angeles Dodgers (Kershaw) at St. Louis Cardinals (Wacha)

Prediction:  Los Angeles

Saturday

4:30 pm – Game 6 American League Championship Series

Detroit Tigers (Scherzer) at Boston Red Sox (Lester)

Prediction: Detroit

8:30 pm – Game 7 (if necessary) National League Championship Series

Los Angeles Dodgers (Ryu) at St. Louis Cardinals (Wainwright)

Prediction: St. Louis

Sunday

8:00 pm – Game 7 (if necessary) American League Championship Series

Detroit Tigers (Verlander) at Boston Red Sox (Lackey)

Prediction: Detroit

News & Notes – Texas Rangers CEO and Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan retired his position effective immediately.

The Colorado Rockies re-signed manager Walt Weiss to a three-year contract despite another last place finish in the N.L. West.

History

2011 World Series – Texas Rangers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

          The 2011 World Series featured the repeat A.L. champion Texas Rangers against the St. Louis Cardinals.  The Rangers appeared in their second consecutive World Series, having lost in 2010 to San Francisco, while the Cardinals opened their new stadium in April and appeared in their 18th World Series, and third in the last eight years, having won last in 2006.

          St. Louis had home field advantage, and the first two games at the new Busch Stadium were close, with the Cardinals winning 3-2 in Game 1 and the Rangers winning 2-1 in Game 2. 

          The middle games in Texas weren’t as close but were equally exciting.  The Cardinals trounced the Rangers 16-7 in Game 3 behind one of the greatest hitting performances in World Series history.  First baseman Albert Pujols joined Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the only players to hit three home runs in a game.  He tied records for most HRs (3), most hits (5), and most RBIs (6) in a World Series game, and established a new record with 14 total bases.  St. Louis led the series 2-1.

          In Game 4 Texas started silenced the bats with shutout baseball from Derek Holland and the Rangers evened the series at two with a 4-0 win.

          Texas scored two runs in the eighth inning of Game 5 to pull out a 4-2 win and suddenly the Rangers led the series 3-2 and were one game away from their first World Series title.

          Game 6 in St. Louis was arguably one of the greatest and most exciting World Series games ever played.  The Rangers led 7-5 in the ninth inning and were one out away from winning their first World Series when Cardinals third baseman David Freese tripled in two tying runs that sent the game into extra innings.  Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton but Texas ahead in the tenth 9-7 with a towering two-run home run, but in the bottom of the tenth, St. Louis was within one strike of losing the World Series when outfielder Lance Berkman singled home the tying run to save the Cardinals season and tie the game 9-9.  Freese led off the bottom of the eleventh with a walk-off home run over the centerfield wall and St. Louis celebrated a dramatic come-from-behind victory that tied the series 3-3 and forced a Game 7.

          In Game 7, Freese doubled home two tying runs in the first inning and broke the postseason RBI record as St. Louis was on the board.  Pitcher Chris Carpenter became the first player in ten years to start three World Series games, and he allowed just two runs in six plus innings as he and the Cardinals won 6-2 for their eleventh World Series title. 

St. Louis Wins 4-3

          For the series, San Francisco outscored Texas 38-30, but were outhit 60-56.

Monday:  2012 World Series – Detroit Tigers vs. San Francisco Giants

Trivia

Today’s Question:  The 2011 World Series was just one of two in baseball history in which a team, one strike away from elimination, came back to win the game and the Series.  When was the other?

Yesterday’s Question:  Of the top 10 all-time pitchers with the most postseason wins, number seven on that list is the only one who played before postseason expansion in 1969, meaning all his wins came in the World Series.  Who is he?

Answer:  Whitey Ford, who pitched for the New York Yankees from 1950 – 1968, and holds a record 10 World Series wins.

House Bet

Today:  Over/Under 8 strikeouts by Clayton Kershaw Friday against the Cardinals.

Yesterday:  Over/Under 8 hits by Detroit batters tonight.

Result:  Over.  Detroit had 10 hits.