The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals meet in Game 1 of the 2013 World Series. The best teams in baseball face off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday night. Here are predictions for Game 1 of the 2013 World Series as Adam Wainwright and Jon Lester meet in Fenway Park. 

The Red Sox are in trouble in the first two games of the series. They have defeated aces in the past, somehow managing to win games started by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. The Red Sox did a great job picking on the Detroit Tigers' bullpen, but that is where the problem lies for the Red Sox in the World Series, the Cardinals have a very strong and deep bullpen. 

This is not a comparison of the Red Sox and the Cardinals bullpens. If that was the case, the Red Sox have the best bullpen in the postseason. The point is, the Red Sox trailed early in five of the six games played in the A.L. Championship Series against the Tigers. If they trail against the Cardinals, they will face a bullpen that posted a 1.42 ERA in 19 innings pitched this postseason. The Red Sox might score a run, maybe, and they are too far behind, that just might not be enough. 

Boston has depended on late inning rallies. They cannot play that way against the Cardinals. They have to play with the lead and then let their pitching handle the rest. Against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox were they aggressor, meanwhile against the Tigers, they were only aggressive and that led to 73 strikeouts in the ALCS. 

With Adam Wainwright on the mound, it will be difficult for the Red Sox to layoff pitches. It will also be difficult for the Red Sox to get many runs. He has allowed a total of four earned runs in 23 innings pitched this postseason. The Red Sox just do not look capable of winning Game 1 if they play from behind. 

Jon Lester has been lights out, but he has not been unhittable. He has pitched great baseball in the postseason, but with the return of Allen Craig, the Cardinals' lineup looks deeper. Yes, he has not played a game in over a month, which is the perfect reason to think he could be late on a fastball. Craig was the Cardinals' leading hitting and led the team with 97 RBI. 

Final Score Prediction: Expect a pitchers' duel, that's for sure. However, if the Cardinals are leading, do not expect them to let the Red Sox back in the game the way the Tigers permitted time and time again. The Red Sox need to start the game fast and they need to have the lead in order to win this game. 

Cardinals Win Game 1, 3-1