CLICK HERE FOR UPDATES STANDINGS***
The Boston Red Sox could not get the last nine outs of the game without giving up the lead and eventually losing to the St. Louis Cardinals. With the loss, the Red Sox allowed the Cardinals to tie the series as Fall Classic will now shift to Busch Stadium. Here's a look at the World Series standings as the Cardinals and Red Sox are now tied.
World Series Standings:
Red Sox 1-1 Cardinals
Game 1: Red Sox Win 8-1
Game 2: Cardinals Win 4-2
David Ortiz appeared to be the hero in this game. The Cardinals young ace, Michael Wacha allowed two earned runs for the first time in the playoffs and for the first time since in over a month. However, he got out of the inning trailing just 1-2 and that's when the Cardinals went to work.
David Freese was patient and took the walk as John Lackey could not provide a successful shutdown inning. In the playoffs, they say walks will come back to haunt you and that is what happened to the Red Sox, twice. Pete Kozma pinch-ran for Freese, the same Kozma who committed two errors in Game 1. Craig Breslow came in to relieve Lackey and surrendered a walk as he attempted to nibble home plate, but that was unsuccessful.
The Red Sox then handed the seres tie over to the Cardinals as the committed back-to-back errors in the same play and then Carlos Beltran drove in a run with an opposite-field single to make it 4-2. By this point, with the Cardinals' bullpen handling business, the fat lady sang and the Red Sox were now looking at a 1-1 tie instead of a 2-0 lead.
The Cardinals have only lost one of six games played at Busch Stadium this postseason. What are the odds that Adam Wainwright will take the mound and struggle once again? What are the odds that Jon Lester or John Lackey can provide similar performances? David Ross shared with MLB Network that the Cardinals were adjusting to Lester the second time around the order.
Furthermore, the Red Sox's pitching rotation is a huge question mark for the remainder of the series. Clay Buchholz can only go for "one more start" and who knows which Jake Peavy will decide to take the mound on Saturday night. The Cardinals' pitching staff is not that secure as Joe Kelly is not a sure bet for a great start and Lance Lynn has been shaky in the postseason. At least the Cardinals have Wainwright and wacha, who will be guaranteed at least two starts in the remainder of the postseason.
